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My Armenia
My Armenia

Young dancers prepare to perform at the Areni Wine Festival in the Vayots Dzor region, October 2015.

Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

My Armenia

Tourists gather around the Norovank Monastery in the Vayots Dzor region, near Areni village.

Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

My Armenia

A group of women sell traditional sweets and other snacks at the Areni Wine Festival in the Vayots Dzor region, October 2015.

Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

My Armenia

Young students learn about digital technology and traditional folk arts at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan

Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

My Armenia

Mural of iconic classical composer Aram Khachaturian on the streets of Kapan, Syunik Province.

Photo by SLMotley

Introduction

Armenia is a small country nestled in the South Caucasus, at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. The first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion, it is home to rich and resilient cultural traditions, beautiful landscapes, and complex histories. Still, Armenia remains a mystery to many around the world.

My Armenia harnesses the power of storytelling to strengthen cultural heritage sustainability through community-based tourism development. This collaborative project between the people of Armenia, the Smithsonian, and USAID will unfold over the next four years.

Drawing upon community-based research and engagement tools developed by Smithsonian Folklife Festival curators, through the My Armenia program we aim to deepen our understanding of the country’s living traditions and heritage sites. Strengthening the capacity and offerings of local museums, archaeological sites, artisans, and more will support Armenia’s cultural heritage by making these important elements more economically sustainable.

Focusing on rural areas outside of the capital city of Yerevan, Smithsonian and Armenian researchers will work together with local communities to identify and document their cultural expressions, including food, crafts, music, dance, and traditional knowledge. Through a diverse range of electronic and print platforms, we will use this information to promote and share stories about Armenia’s cultural, historic, and artistic riches with visitors from around the world.

The Smithsonian is dedicated to collaborating with communities to support their long-term cultural vitality. My Armenia aims to demonstrate the productive relationship that can occur when community-based, rigorous cultural heritage research informs economic development through sustainable cultural tourism.

  • Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

    Research & Documentation

    My Armenia is driven by research and documentation methods developed by scholars to produce programs for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Working collaboratively with in-country researchers, including anthropologists, folklorists, ethnomusicologists, community-based scholars, and more, our goal is to expand and enrich existing scholarship. Additionally, we will create an archival record that will become part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection—data that will inform future generations of researchers.

  • Our research teams work directly with communities to identify the cultural heritage they cherish most—the places, traditions, music, dance, craft, food, and other expressions that define their community identity. We will also document key knowledge and skills needed within a particular traditional practice. For a musician, this might include songs, instrumental skills, and performing styles; for a craftsperson, materials, designs, and techniques.

    We will identify specific community members who are exemplars of their cultural practice, as indicated by their status and recognition within their community. All of this information is carefully documented and archived for future use and will form the foundation of community-based tourism development in Armenia.

  • Carving a khatchkar, or cross stone, near Areni village, Vayots Dzor region.

    Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

    Capacity Building

    At the Smithsonian, we support the cultural sustainability of communities through the identification, documentation, preservation, and sharing of their most cherished cultural spaces and expressions—including monuments and heritage sites, language, crafts, music, dance, food, storytelling, traditional knowledge, and more. By strengthening cultural sustainability, we promote the long-term viability, vitality, and diversity of cultures around the world.

  • Strengthening the capacity and offerings of local museums, archaeological sites, adventure activities, and artisans will sustain this cultural heritage. Enhanced and diversified community-based tourism offerings can drive sustainable economic growth to rural areas and support the sustainability of Armenian cultural heritage.

    Working with sustainable tourism firm Solimar International, we will share the compelling stories of Armenian musicians, craftspeople, dancers, winemakers, and more with people around the world.

  • Pomegranates, an iconic symbol of Armenian hospitality, for sale in a village market in Vayots Dzor region.

    Photo by Sossi Madzounian, Smithsonian

    Convening

    The Smithsonian aims to build partnerships with Armenian universities, educational organizations, and foundations, as well as with diaspora communities around the world to support My Armenia. Working with Armenian students, artists and designers, anthropologists, ethnographers, archaeologists, folklorists, historians, filmmakers, photographers, and local communities, we strive to expand existing scholarship on Armenian cultural heritage. Through intensive fieldwork, we aim to collaboratively document Armenian cultural heritage and to utilize Armenia’s rich cultural traditions to inform community-based tourism development.

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