The project ‘Development of the Cultural Life of Aghavnavank community’ has been implemented by ‘Dilijan Intercommunity Union’ NGO in Dilijan community
Aghavanavank community is a remote small community inhabited with Armenian refugees. For many years these people have been derived from opportunities to preserve their cultural rights and traditions.
The goal of the project was to contribute to the development of the cultural life of Aghavnavank community.
According to the project objectives met the community acquired musical instruments and contracted teachers who started music classes in the community.
“In the beginning of the project we were afraid there would be no interest of children to engage in the groups”- confesses Vardush Nersisyan, the headmaster of community school. However, there was no need to worry since 20 children started attending the music and dancing classes as soon as it started. Day by day children were getting more and more excited about the project, their new skills. This kind of project achievements are essential motivators for the community members to value culture and appreciate it even though not much has been done in this sense for years.
Not only the children became active and enthusiastic but their parents too. The project coordinator Artush Margaryan said-“When parents saw the achievements of their children, how they love the culture and how that changes their daily routine, they became interested and expressed eagerness to pay for classes. Even though most of them do not have such financial privilege all of them want continuation of the project. We have been thinking about getting new musical instruments too.”
The community cultural life has become more interesting and active due to some cultural events organized within the project. Indeed this kind of projects allow involving different children from different groups and all walks of life which makes the project even more successful as it brings shared cultural values and richness through diversity.
‘There is more to the project than simple dancing or music skills. It inspires love for culture and a person who loves and appreciates culture will also love his/her family, community and country,’ – Vardush Nersisyan, project coordinator
The publication has been produced within the project ‘Equal Opportunities for National Minorities and Disadvantaged Groups in Realizing Cultural Rights: Richness in Diversity’ funded by the European Union under Eastern Partnership Culture Programme and implemented by GURT Resource Centre (Ukraine) in partnership with the Civil Society Partnership Foundation (Republic of Armenia) and Center for NGOs Development (Republic of Armenia) and aimed at developing cultural diversity and support the culture of national minorities through strengthening capacity of local self-government bodies, public authorities, civil society organizations, local culture institutions in communities in Ukraine and Armenia.