For 15 years, STARMUS has brought together scientists, astronauts and artists to discuss science, our planet, the Universe and humanity’s place within it. This October, under the theme “The Search for Truth,” the festival will return to Spain’s Canary Islands, where it all began in 2011.

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Science has its traditional settings: laboratories, universities, observatories and research centres. Yet conversations about scientific ideas can continue far beyond these walls—on concert stages, through art and at gatherings that bring together people from different fields. STARMUS was created with precisely this purpose: to build a space where science, music and art come together.

Founded by Armenian astrophysicist Garik Israelian and legendary Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May, STARMUS is a unique international festival dedicated to science communication, space exploration, art and music. Over the past decade and a half, its participants have included Nobel laureates, astronauts who have walked on the Moon, renowned Soviet cosmonauts, scientists whose discoveries have transformed our understanding of the Universe and the world, and artists who have helped make scientific ideas accessible to wider audiences.

Since its first edition in 2011, STARMUS has developed a distinctive format that goes beyond the traditional scientific conference. Lectures and discussions are accompanied by concerts and educational activities designed for the general public.

The eighth edition of STARMUS will take place from October 17 to 22 on the Spanish Canary Islands of Tenerife and La Palma. This year’s events will be held under the theme “The Search for Truth,” with discussions focusing on artificial intelligence, scientific and technological advances, astronomy and many other issues of growing relevance.

The ambitious idea of two astrophysicists becomes reality

At the heart of the festival’s story lie two seemingly unrelated worlds: astrophysics and rock music.

Astrophysicists Garik Israelian, who had spent years studying stars and their evolution, and Brian May, whom many people at the time knew primarily for his performances with Queen, decided to establish a festival together. The idea was simple: science could and should be discussed not only through academic papers and professional conferences, but also in a more accessible and engaging way, bringing art and music into the conversation.

The first festival took place in June 2011 in the Canary Islands. It was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight. The choice of location was no coincidence. Tenerife and La Palma offer exceptional conditions for astronomical research. La Palma is also home to the Gran Telescopio Canarias, one of the world’s best-known large optical and infrared telescopes.

STARMUS I brought together some of the most iconic figures associated with space exploration, including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, astronauts on the first lunar mission, Apollo 11, and Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, the first person to conduct a spacewalk. They were joined by prominent scientists and Nobel laureates to discuss humanity’s achievements in space exploration and the possibilities that lay ahead.

Neil Armstrong’s participation was particularly memorable. His appearance at the festival became his final public address; he died in August 2012. Speaking about the legacy of space exploration, Armstrong reflected on the technological progress it had made possible and the continuing importance of opening new horizons for humanity.

Stephen Hawking and the story behind his medal

Held once again in the Canary Islands in 2014, STARMUS II was marked by the participation of Stephen Hawking. One of the most influential theoretical physicists of his generation, Hawking advanced the study of black holes and made complex concepts in cosmology accessible to millions of people.

While the first festival in 2011 had attracted around 300 participants, attendance more than tripled for the second edition, reaching 1,000. This growth demonstrated that the festival’s distinctive combination of science and art had found an audience.

In 2016, STARMUS III established the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. The award subsequently became one of the festival’s most recognizable traditions, honouring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science communication through science, art and film.

The medal’s design brings together two symbols of the festival’s identity. One side features a portrait of Hawking created by Alexei Leonov. The other depicts Brian May in outer space with his famous guitar.

Over the years, the medal has been awarded to many prominent figures, including Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX and Tesla; Oscar-winning directors Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott; Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer; the late primatologist Jane Goodall; astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson; physicist Jim Al-Khalili; Queen guitarist, musician and astrophysicist Brian May; and Jean-Michel Jarre, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music, among others.

STARMUS IV, held in Norway in 2017, continued to explore the relationship between space exploration and humanity’s future. Discussions addressed the possibility of establishing human settlements beyond Earth, the technological challenges of travelling to other planets and many other questions.

In 2019, STARMUS V took place in Zurich, Switzerland, as a tribute to the Apollo missions. It was during this festival that then-President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian took the stage and invited STARMUS to hold its next edition in Armenia. The invitation was accepted, and STARMUS came to Armenia.

STARMUS VI in Armenia

In September 2022, Armenia hosted STARMUS VI. Held under the theme “50 Years on Mars,” the festival explored five decades of Mars research and growing interest in future human missions to the Red Planet. The programme also covered a wide range of subjects, from climate change and the origins of life to neuroscience and the relationship between music and the human brain.

Among those who travelled to Armenia were Charles Duke, an astronaut on the Apollo 16 mission; Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield; and Nobel laureates Michel Mayor, Kip Thorne, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Edvard Moser, among others.

One of the most visible elements of STARMUS VI was the Science Camp organised in Yerevan’s Freedom Square. Designed for children and adults interested in science, the platform offered interactive activities that allowed visitors to explore new scientific and technological developments. Its goal was to make knowledge accessible beyond conference halls and encourage young people to consider careers in science and technology.

In his closing speech, STARMUS co-founder Garik Israelian declared that the edition held in Armenia was the best in the festival’s history.

After Armenia, the festival moved to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, in 2024, under the theme “The Future of Our Home Planet.” One of the leading speakers that year was renowned primatologist Jane Goodall. In an impactful address from the STARMUS stage, she called for the protection of the planet:

“We are living in the sixth mass extinction on planet Earth. And we ourselves are the cause of this extinction. We are living in extremely difficult times, and what we do now will affect the future of life on planet Earth.”

Team Telecom Armenia: Supporting Science

Making an international festival such as STARMUS accessible to a wider audience requires more than the efforts of scientists and organizers. Strong partnerships between organizations and media outlets also play a key role.

With the support of Team Telecom Armenia, ARMENPRESS will cover STARMUS VIII from the Canary Islands, bringing readers the perspectives of leading scientists on the exploration of Earth and the Universe, as well as the future of science and technology.

“For us, the development of science, education and technology is not merely an area of social responsibility; it is also part of the future we want to see in Armenia. As a technology company, we believe it is important not only to build modern infrastructure but also to foster interest in science and innovation,” says Tigran Frangyan, Commercial Director of Team Telecom Armenia.

Team Telecom Armenia’s relationship with STARMUS is not new. In 2022, when Armenia hosted STARMUS VI, the company served as the festival’s main technology partner.

“When the festival was held in Armenia, Team Telecom Armenia, as its main technology partner, did more than support the initiative: it became part of its implementation, providing connectivity and technological support for guests and participants. We are pleased to contribute once again to bringing stories about science, technology and new ideas from STARMUS to audiences in Armenia, continuing our consistent efforts to promote education, science and technology,” Frangyan notes.

STARMUS VIII Returns to the Canary Islands

Ten years after the 2016 edition, STARMUS VIII returns to the Canary Islands. Tenerife and La Palma, which will host the main events, are important centers for astronomical research thanks to their geographical location, climate and dark skies.

This year’s programme features an impressive line-up of speakers, including computer scientist and Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, neuroscientist May-Britt Moser, physicist and Nobel laureate Serge Haroche, astrophysicist Michel Mayor, and other renowned astrophysicists and scientists.

The festival stage will also welcome astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen, members of NASA’s Artemis II crewed lunar mission.

Alongside the traditional Stephen Hawking Medal, STARMUS VIII will see the presentation of a new award for the first time: the Jane Goodall Earth Medal, established in honour of the renowned primatologist. While the Hawking Medal recognizes contributions to science communication, the Jane Goodall Earth Medal will honour people who actively work to protect the planet and biodiversity and use their voices to raise awareness of these causes. Goodall, who died in 2025, was a member of the STARMUS Advisory Board.

Beyond its scientific and educational programme, the festival will feature its traditional concert, with performances by Brian May, Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Derek Sherinian and many other artists. On October 18, legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman will present the world premiere of Echoes from Black Holes, a composition inspired by the Universe.

The history of STARMUS shows that science is about more than discoveries, equations and research. It is also about asking questions, exploring new horizons and seeing the world from a different perspective. When scientific ideas meet music and art, they can move beyond professional circles and become part of a wider public conversation about our shared future.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Yerevan on Friday morning to participate in the Leaders’ Summit held within the framework of COP17.

Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan welcomed the Iranian president at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.

The 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in Yerevan on October 19–30. Among the many countries represented, the United Kingdom will also send a delegation to Armenia.

UK Ambassador to Armenia Alexandra Cole emphasized the importance of the event in an interview with Armenpress, stressing that a country hosting conferences such as COP17 truly deserves strong support.

“I think every one of us understands the absolute urgent importance of protecting our environment and trying to mitigate the impact of climate change. COP17, of course, is focused on biodiversity, but that’s critically at risk partly because of climate change, but whichever way you put it, it’s because of human interference. To the UK government, it’s a real priority to support the biodiversity COP and indeed broader climate change conferences,” Ambassador Cole said.

The ambassador added that the UK has a number of objectives which seem quite technical because technical is what’s needed, particularly around financing nature preservation and around ensuring that solutions are fully inclusive. “There’s no point trying to work out how to fix things without consulting the people who actually know about those things. We have a big delegation coming because we consider it so important,” the ambassador said.

The UK delegation will be led by the UK Minister for Nature, Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, and will include a mixture of civil servants, government employees, civil society representatives and business representatives. UK Special Representative for Nature Ruth Davis will also be part of the delegation. 

 “And that’s because, again, a bit like our security approach, this is very much a whole-of-society issue for us to tackle, and I think for me personally and for the embassy here in Armenia, we won’t necessarily be involved in all the negotiations, but our goal for COP17 is for it to run smoothly and for Armenia to have a successful presidency, because anyone who’s prepared to host conferences such as these really deserves all the support they can get, and hopefully we’ll put Armenia on the international stage, and that would be great,” the ambassador said.

The full interview with the UK ambassador will be published later.

Armenia’s Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan addressed Azerbaijan’s decision not to participate in the COP17 conference in Yerevan, saying that it was their decision and should in no way be linked to the peace process.

Simonyan emphasized that there is currently no tension in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, nor is any expected.

“Just as we have to explain this to our society in Armenia, the same situation applies to them when it comes to mutual visits,” Simonyan said at a press briefing.

The Security Council secretary also responded to a statement made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev the previous day on the sidelines of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku, in which Aliyev once again used aggressive rhetoric to level unfounded accusations against the Armenian side.

“I have had the opportunity to tell President Aliyev that his statements are received very sensitively in Armenia. In our engagements, I have emphasized that if we are talking about peace, he also has an important role to play in it. He replied, ‘Okay, fine,’” Simonyan said.

There is no agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the exchange of enclaves and exclaves; at this point, this option is under discussion, Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan told reporters during a press briefing.

“Artsvashen is Armenian land, and the Azerbaijani side has also acknowledged this fact. There is no dispute or disagreement between the sides on this issue. We have clearly stated that Armenia’s internationally recognized sovereign territory is 29,743 square kilometers, and as a result of delimitation and demarcation, we will neither increase nor decrease it. No territory has been ceded by Armenia, and none will be ceded. There can be no question of any concessions. At the same time, I would note that Artsvashen is slightly smaller in area than the three Azerbaijani enclaves located within Armenian territory combined. We must carry out the delimitation in such a way that there is no deviation from the 29,743 square kilometers,” Simonyan said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan earlier outlined his vision for resolving the matter.

The issue of the existing enclaves and exclaves between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not an obstacle to the signing of the initialed peace treaty, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan has said.

“This is a sensitive issue,” Mirzoyan said at a press briefing.

“It is an issue that interests all of us, and if there is an exchange of territories, this is an issue that must be put to a nationwide referendum. Enclaves and exclaves, even if relations are excellent in every respect, complicate the lives of countries, at least from a technical standpoint. You know Azerbaijan’s rhetoric. They say, ‘We will not sign the peace agreement until you change the Constitution.’ They haven’t said, have they, that they will not sign until the issue of the enclaves is resolved?” Mirzoyan said.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had earlier stated that the exchange of the existing enclaves and exclaves between Armenia and Azerbaijan was one of the options being discussed in the negotiation process.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan said that the Armenia-Türkiye dialogue and the process of normalizing relations have matured considerably, and that the two sides could decide to open the border at any time.

“The Armenia-Türkiye dialogue is so intensive and this process has matured to such an extent that, indeed, we could wake up, let’s say tomorrow, and see that both sides are already saying that they are opening the border. Our dialogue and the normalization of relations have matured considerably, and at any given moment, we could reach a decision to open the Armenia-Türkiye border for two-way passenger and cargo traffic. Our region is changing rapidly and radically, and these changes are for the better in terms of the economy, infrastructure, trust, and psychological aspects,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Armenia said at a press briefing.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan said that comments about Iran’s concerns over TRIPP in some Armenian media outlets are significantly exaggerated.

Speaking at a press briefing, Mirzoyan was asked whether he had managed to dispel the Iranian side’s concerns about the TRIPP project during his recent visit to Iran.

“The comments, the spin with which Iran’s concerns over TRIPP are presented in some Armenian media outlets are, if I may not go so far as to say they are significantly detached from reality, significantly exaggerated. The Iranian side has questions, and those questions have been answered. My impression is that the Iranian side is satisfied with this process. For example, the Iranian side asks whether there will be an American military presence along TRIPP. There will not be. People ask, and we tell them there will not be. The documents attest to this, and reality attests to this. In other words, it is normal for them to have this question, and we give them the correct answer. They then say, well, if there will not be one, they too will be able to use that railway network, won’t they? It is a textbook truth that the armed presence of a third party in the relationship between two other parties will only complicate the lives of those two parties. People had questions, and answers have been provided to those questions on a regular basis. It is not as though I went this time and was asked this question, because it was raised a year ago and clarified. I went, and they told me, ‘If that is the case, then fine…’” the Armenian foreign minister elaborated.

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan met UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany on the sidelines of the leaders’ summit on biodiversity.

According to a statement from the Armenian ministry, the two discussed cooperation between Armenia and UNESCO, particularly in education, culture and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Mirzoyan stressed the importance Armenia attached to active participation in UNESCO programmes and to the organisation’s initiatives.

UNESCO’s role in strengthening mutual trust and promoting regional cooperation was also highlighted.