Brussels, 29/08/2013 (Agence Europe) - The official launch of the European Heritage Days 2013 will take place in Yerevan (Armenia) on 30 August. Thanks to this event, members of the public will, throughout the month of September, be able to visit thousands of historical and cultural sites that are normally rarely accessible. “The European Heritage Days is a fantastic initiative, which can be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. This year we expect more than 20 million adults and children to take advantage of this special opportunity to visit sites which are normally closed to the public”, said European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth Androulla Vassiliou. A new interactive website will also be inaugurated on 30 August. It will provide details on the sites that are open to the public, as well as information on special events organised by the different participating countries. Started in 1985, the European Heritage Days have been jointly organised by the European Commission and the Council of Europe since 1999. The 50 countries that have signed up to the European Cultural Convention will be participating in this event. (IL/transl.fl)