State Dance Ensemble of Armenia


The 65-year-old State Dance Ensemble of Armenia operates with youthful enthusiasm, working on new productions in the rehearsal room and correcting previously performed ones. The parent company is facing financial problems, but if they are resolved, they will have new costumes and new instrumentation options.

"Akunk"'s new project: the songs and dances of "David of Sasun"


The "Akunk" ethnographic ensemble, which has a half-century history, presents songs and dances from all parts of historical Armenia. A few of the founding members have remained in the group, and it is they who pass on the decades-old traditions of Akunk to the newcomers. Currently, together with the group's artistic director, musicologist Artur Shahnazaryan, they are developing songs and dances from the epic "David of Sasun", which will soon be presented to the public.

Jrapi


Of the 311 km border between Armenia and Turkey, 72 km falls on Shirak province. Jrapi is one of 15 settlements in the province that has border status. The village was built in 1974. As a result of the construction of the Akhuryan reservoir, the villages of Nerkin and Verin Jrapi were merged and moved upstream.

Bagaran


The Armenian-Turkish villages are so close to each other that the Bagaran residents are forced to hear the mullah's voice several times a day. Although the border village of Bagaran has many worries and problems, houses are being built and new Armenian families are being formed.

Tatul Altunyan State Song and Dance Ensemble


The Tatul Altunyan State Song and Dance Ensemble, founded in 1938, has a rich history. Over the decades, many renowned musicians and ballet masters have worked in the ensemble. Now, the ensemble, which has strong traditions, is creating its modern history.

Verin Tsaghkavan: Shkhmurad Monastery


The visiting card and pride of the village of Verin Tsaghkavan in Tavush region is the 12th-13th century Shkhmurad Monastery. It is located 6-7 km southwest of the village. The once powerful monastery complex is now in ruins. If the Shkhmurad Monastery complex is restored and the road leading to the sanctuary is improved, a new stage in the life of the village will begin.

"Give a Concert": Paravakar


The "Kayt" cultural center has launched the "Give a Concert" project, which plans to organize free concerts in remote and border areas of Armenia. The fund, created with public support, will provide a platform for musicians in rural communities. The first concert of the "Give a Concert" project has already taken place in the border village of Paravakar in Tavush province.

Lusagyugh


The village of Lusagyugh in the Aragatsotn region is rich in ancient sanctuaries and pilgrimage sites: Mkhe Monastery, Veri Vank or Saint Gregory Monastery, and the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary. The sanctuaries inherited from our ancestors still have thousands of pilgrims today.

Akhtala


The estate-farm and monastery of the princes of the Gugark world have been known to historians since the 5th century. In later centuries, when copper mines were discovered here, Agarak was renamed Pghndzahank, and the monastery was renamed Pghndzahank Monastery. The settlement and church named Akhtala have been mentioned in historical sources since the 14th century.
 

The Holy Mother of God monastery in Akhtala


"Me, Mariam, daughter of Kyurike, have erected a bronze altar to the Holy Mother of God. You who worship, remember my prayer to us.” The khachkar with this inscription, created by order of Princess Mariam, is in the courtyard of Akhtala; it is the de facto passport of the monastery. The khachkar, made in 1188, is tangible evidence of attempts by foreigners, especially Georgians, to appropriate the monastery at different times and of the settlement of disputes. The Akhtala monastery is the largest monastery in the region named after the Mother of God. It is also one of the richest monasteries in frescoes: 960 square meters of unique medieval frescoes have come down to us, which have never been restored in 800 years.

The Holy Savior church of Gyumri


The Church of the Holy Savior, considered one of the symbols of Gyumri, celebrates the 150th anniversary of its construction this year. It is said that the people of Gyumri dreamed of having a church similar to the Mother Cathedral of Ai and began collecting donations for its construction in the 1850s. The church, built in 1873 with great difficulties and expectations, ceased to function in the 1930s under the coercion of the Soviet authorities, and in 1937 the Bolsheviks blew up the bell tower. The final blow to the Church of the Holy Savior was the devastating earthquake of 1988, when the church collapsed. After many years of restoration, the restoration of the Church of the Holy Savior was completed in 2024 and was reconsecrated under the auspices of the Armenian Patriarch.

"Menk" NGO teaches ethnographic dances


There are three ethnographic dance groups within the "Menk" educational and cultural NGO: basic, amateur, and children's. They not only master ethnographic dances, but are also well-versed in their semantics and have undertaken a mission to spread and teach our dances, from remote villages to the capital.