Blast from the Past – Republic of Armenia

Let’s start the day with our “Blast from the Past”!

This infographic includes cultural highlights from Armenia.

Literature

• Hovhannes Thumanian, poet, writer and translator, considered the national poet of the country. The Tumanyan International Storytelling Festival aims to reconnect contemporary audiences with the Armenian heritage and tradition of storytelling.

Music

• Yerevan Duduk Festival, a platform to learn more about the duduk and fully experience its rich and versatile music.
• Komitas (Soghomon Soghomonian), the most important collector of Armenian folk songs who established the musicology of Armenia on a scientific basis.
• Aram Khachaturian, composer and conductor. “Sabre Dance” is one of the most famous compositions worldwide.
• Arno Babajanian, composer and pianist. A minor planet, 9017 Babadzhanyan, was named after him.

Cinema

• Golden Apricot International Film Festival. Its name refers to apricot, a fruit native to Armenia and a popular symbol of the country. 

Natural/Cultural Monuments

• Geghard Monastery (inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List of cultural sites) and Tatev Monastery, sites with a rich cultural heritage.

Gastronomy

• Lavash (included in UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity) and Ghapama, traditional must-try dishes.

Painting

• Martiros Sarian, one of the most famous painters of the 20^thcentury and founder of the modern Armenian school of painting.
• Mariam & Eranuhi Aslamazyan, two remarkable painters of the 20^thcentury who had an impact on the attitudes of their time towards gender equality.

Theatre

• Siranush (Merope Sahaki Kantarjian), one of the first actresses worldwide who performed the role of Hamlet.

Art

• Cafesjian Center for the Arts, an art institution that houses a large collection of Armenian modern and contemporary art.

Customs and Traditions

• Taraz Festival, a platform for the presentation of national costumes and traditions.
• Vayots Dzor-Wine Heritage (Wine Route), a route that includes evidence of wine production dating back 6,000 years.

Manuscripts

• Mesrop Mashtots Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts – Matenadaran, one of the largest and most valuable manuscript repositories in the world and the largest in Armenia.

UNESCO World Book Capital 2012

• Yerevan, a cultural centre with a rich documentary and literary heritage.

For more information, you may visit the past editions HERE

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