Because of the COVID-19 pandemic many ICH activities have been suspended in ICH communities of Armenia, including folk festivals, workshops, ICH transfer and other programs.
1. Twenty seven communities in Armenia realized a global program “Arar (Creation): Safeguarding, Dissemination, Development and Popularization of ICH in the regions of the Republic of Armenia”.
Almost 600 children of different ages are involved in this program and take part in traditional song and dance, fine arts, carpet weaving, lace and embroidery, pottery, khachkar (cross-stone) making, stone, wood and metal art groups. They are taught by local masters, ICH bearers.
Nowadays, the program continues on the online platform, during which folk masters conduct workshops for children from different communities. For example, the online master class on woodcarving is ongoing. It is arranged by experienced master Armen Goginyan, a teacher of woodworking and khachkar making in Tavush region of the Republic of Armenia. Under his leadership, children from the surrounding communities of Noyemberyan, Berdavan, Koghb, Ayrum, Baghanis, Dovegh, Jujevan, Voskevan, and Koti take part in ICH online classes
Within the framework of the same program, Serob Vardanyan, a specialist of the “Traditional Song and Dance” section of the Ditak community of the RA Ararat region conducted classes of traditional dances. A number of traditional Armenian dances have been taught online. Students of the “Carpet Making” section in Kotayk region work at home and receive online instructions from their tutor, Suzanna Avetisyan. See facebook page for further information
Sixty children participated in online workshops of ICH master Gohar Maralchyan from Berdavan community of Tavush region, RA (see: ARAR Armenian Art Center Facebook page).
2. Various bearers of intangible cultural heritage are conducting master classes on the online platform: Syrian-Armenian embroiderers Maral Sheohmelian and Ayda Sandurian
3. Online children’s courses by potter Nana Manucharyan in Armenian and Russian
4. “David of Sassoun” is an Armenian and English intellectual who has an entertaining mobile application. These days, the “David of Sassoun” mobile application has become more applicable for everyone. It helps students deepen their knowledge about this epic. It includes text materials, testing system and games about the epic.
The application is available for Android and IOS systems in English (sasuntci davit) and in Armenian.
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