Armenian Institute

We are delighted to announce our vibrant Spring programme of talks, workshops, and cultural events celebrating Armenian history, and contemporary voices. We begin with a revival of the Armenian Institute’s much-loved Armenian Studies Group (ASG), which offers a welcoming space for researchers in Armenian Studies to share their work in progress. On April 24, we mark the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide with an evening of reflection, featuring talks by scholars Dr Peter Morgan and Dr Becky Jinks, and a special musical performance by Lucine Musaelian. On May 8, Prof. Heather Jones delves into Britain’s diplomatic response to the genocide, shedding light on the geopolitical stakes that shaped its policies. Throughout the season, we continue to explore themes of displacement, identity, and cultural connection. A unique Polish-Armenian culinary workshop uncovers shared histories through food, while a London Craft Week embroidery workshop invites participants to learn traditional stitches from the Vaspourakan region. Renowned writer Caroline Eden shares stories from her latest book, Green Mountains, a culinary and travel journey through Armenia and Georgia. Aspiring writers can join Nick Barlay’s interactive family history workshop, an opportunity to bring personal narratives to life as part of the Armenian Institute’s Heritage of Displacement project. On May 19, we honour William Gladstone’s legacy of advocating for Armenians with a special event at the National Liberal Club, featuring expert talks, rare artefacts, and an exquisite dinner with live Armenian music. As summer approaches, we celebrate the flourishing of Queer Armenian literature in a Pride Month event reflecting on a decade of groundbreaking work. Don't miss this dynamic season of discovery, remembrance, and cultural exchange! Visit our website to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dqVKnNeZ

If you are in London, join me on March 11, at 5 pm, for this talk at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Free, booking essential: https://lnkd.in/epYCx2g9 From 3rd Floor Group to Bunker: The Complex History of Abstraction in Late Soviet Armenia, through the Sergei Djavadian Collection Speaker: Dr Choghakate Kazarian Co-Curator of the exhibition “New Matter: Sergei Djavadian’s Collection of Armenian Abstraction,” with Vigen Galstyan at the National Gallery of Armenia (31 July – 15 December 2024), Choghakate Kazarian joins us to discuss the early years of the art collection of Sergei Djavadian, focused on abstract and conceptual works by Achot Achot, Kiki, Offenbach, Martin Petrosyan, Armén Rotch, and Sev, who were key members of the famous 3rd Floor group (1987–1994), considered the first movement of contemporary art in Armenia. The collection, formed primarily during the early 1990s, and thus synchronous with the movements it represents, reflects the important ideological conflicts within the 3rd Floor group, starting with the “plus minus” exhibition in 1990, and the consequent formation of the Bunker group. The presentation will also be an opportunity to bring up methodological issues regarding historicising contemporary art in Armenia. Co-organised by the Armenian Institute and Dr Klara Kemp-Welch, Reader in 20th Century Modernism, The Courtauld Institute of Art Image: Kiki (Grigor Mikaelyan), Bobo, 1989, National Gallery of Armenia, gift of Elmira and Sergei Djavadian

One week ago, we gathered for a special evening with Gabriel Gavin to discuss his most recent book, Ashes of Our Fathers: Inside the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh. A full house, engaging conversations, and every single book sold—what more could we ask for? A huge thank you to our Chair of Trustees, Tatiana Der Avedissian, for moderating such a thought-provoking discussion, and to everyone who joined us. Your insightful questions and engagement truly made the event special. We are also deeply grateful to ZORIK GASPARIAN and Hamaink Armenian News UK for their kindness in donating their time to record this important event, ensuring that the conversation reaches even more people. Gratitude also goes to Hurst Publishers for their collaboration and support in bringing this important book to our community. Events like these remind us why dialogue and storytelling matter—shedding light on the past, understanding the present, and shaping the future. Stay tuned for more inspiring conversations at our future events. You can check out what’s coming up here: https://lnkd.in/dewcyaYV – we look forward to welcoming you soon!

Join us to meet POLITICO foreign policy reporter Gabriel Gavin, on the occasion of the publication of his most recent book, Ashes of Our Fathers: Inside the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is the first major book to be published on the region since the 2020 war. Through the eyes of ordinary Armenians and Azerbaijanis, it charts how a decades-long conflict exploded into one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our time. Based on years of unique access and on-the-ground reporting from both sides of the front line, Gabriel Gavin charts how Nagorno-Karabakh went from an ancient home shared by both peoples to a battle-scarred land of empty houses and untended graves — as the world watched on. Moderated by our Chair of Trustees, Tatiana Der Avedissian, the talk will be followed by a drinks reception. Get your copy of Ashes of Our Fathers at an exclusive 25% discount, and have it signed by the author! 📅 Date: 30 January, 6:45 PM 📍 Location: Armenian House Register here: https://lnkd.in/dUqcfnrz In collaboration with Hurst Publishers.

Next on our calendar: Remembering Hrant Dink Join us this Thursday, the 23rd, at the Armenian Institute for a meaningful evening honouring the life and legacy of Hrant Dink. We’re happy to announce a fully booked in-person attendance, but you can still be part of this event online! Don’t miss the opportunity to engage in this important conversation. Date: Thursday, 23rd - 6:30 PM Online Register here: https://lnkd.in/dnd9MDaT The Armenian Turkish editor of the weekly AGOS and human rights champion stirred the conscience of Turkish people so profoundly in his writing and TV appearances that he was murdered in broad daylight outside his office by a 17-year-old nationalist on January 19, 2007. The court case has not seen justice done on the hidden perpetrators, yet Dink continues to be the recipient of major peace prizes and honours even after his death. The Hrant Dink Foundation continues to educate and inspire Armenians and Turks on equal rights for all and the democratization of the country. It fosters dialogue towards empathy and understanding of diversity in different peoples. This year, we invite you to a screening of Hrant Dink: Heart of Two Nations, a moving 40-minute documentary film directed by Nouritza Matossian, from their private conversations. It is the only film showing Hrant Dink speaking in Armenian about his life and struggle for justice and human rights, made in 2008, after his death. The screening will be followed by an open discussion with the director, Nouritza Matossian. We hope you will join us to keep his memory alive and celebrate his achievements together.

What an unforgettable evening at our event Building Culture in Armenia! A full house, vibrant energy, and inspiring conversations made this event truly special. A heartfelt thank-you to all our attendees, our partner Architectural Association and our brilliant speakers – Guillaume Othenin-Girard, Nairi Khatchadourian, Aram Mooradian, and Shant Charoian – for sharing their visionary work. Together, we explored how creative agents in Armenia are blending tradition and innovation to develop sustainable craft and construction, showcasing the transformative power of architecture and culture in shaping communities. This event was organized in parallel with The Oshakan Project 2024 exhibition, currently on display at the Architectural Association. If you haven’t seen it yet, don’t miss the opportunity to experience the incredible work of students and local communities reimagining heritage in Armenia. Special thanks to the British Council for their support and to everyone who helped make this event a success. We are happy for all the conversations sparked by Living | Building | Together, the Armenian Institute's festival of architecture and culture. Stay tuned for more exciting events! Visit our website and join us: https://lnkd.in/dewcyaYV #BuildingCultureInArmenia #ArmenianInstitute #LivingBuildingTogether #ArmenianArchitecture #Culture

Join us for Building Culture in Armenia! Discover how four creative leaders are working with communities in Armenia to develop sustainable craft, heritage, and construction. Through short presentations and a panel discussion, we’ll explore exciting new projects shaping Armenia’s cultural and architectural landscape. 📅 Event Date:  January 14 - 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Architectural Association School of Architecture 36 Bedford Square London WC1B 3ES 🎟 Free admission In parallel, visit The Oshakan Project 2024 exhibition at the Architectural Association, showcasing student work and photographs by artist Piruza Khalapyan, open January 14–31. Funding from the British Council. The event will be held in association with the Architectural Association. This event is part of the Armenian Institute's festival of architecture and culture, Living | Building | Together.

As we kick off 2025, we're reflecting on a fantastic year of growth, creativity, and meaningful progress in our mission to celebrate and preserve Armenian heritage, history, and culture. Here are some of the highlights from 2024 that made it such a special year: - A vibrant calendar of events: 2024 featured an impressive lineup of online and in-person events that brought communities together to celebrate the richness of Armenian culture. - Library accessibility: We took a major step forward by making our library catalogue available online, ensuring researchers and students worldwide can access our valuable resources. - Bookshop expansion: We made our bookshop more accessible, providing even more opportunities for people to explore Armenian literature and history. - Heritage of Displacement project: we have offered free training to our volunteers, launched the interview recording phase of this vital initiative to preserve the heritage and stories of UK Armenians, and organised events around the project. We are already actively preparing to make this resource publicly accessible in the near future. We are deeply grateful to our volunteer interviewers and interviewees for making this possible and look forward to pursuing the effort with their invaluable help. You can learn more about our project here: https://lnkd.in/dK8V7Agd We can’t thank you enough for your support. The Armenian Institute continues to thrive because of generous individuals like you who are passionate about preserving Armenian culture. As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited about what’s to come—and your ongoing support will help ensure that this important work continues to grow. Thanks for being part of the journey. Here's to another year of progress, connection, and shared heritage!

In Armenia, the past breathes today and inspires tomorrow 💙 Download the new issue of Life in Armenia magazine Check out the topics covered 👇 The first Armenian analog astronaut, Anna Harutyunyan, shares her story and discusses Armenia's potential in space exploration projects 🚀 Formula VC organized an investor tour in Yerevan and invited 35 international investors to showcase the Armenian startup ecosystem 🌎 How important are family-oriented destinations for digital nomads, and what makes Armenia ideal for families? ✨Andreas Wil GERDES answers ⚽ Thanks to Arpi Karapetyan, Yerevan welcomed Ahmed Adel from Egypt to speak at the Annual Regional Conference and WCIT. Find out what his thoughts are about Armenia 🛬 What does the UK-born tech blogger Gregory Tidanian think of Yerevan 13 years after his 1st visit, and what does he think of the tech ecosystem in the country? 💻 How easy is it for a foreigner to learn the Armenian language? Mariana P. from the Armenian Institute in London explains in detail 📖 In Part 1 of his article series, Vahram Elagoz, as always, offers a unique and interesting perspective on the biodiversity in Yerevan's parks. A must-read for nature enthusiasts 🌿 Learn about ViralMango - Influencer Marketing, a social network for influencers with 45k active users, and find out what brought its founder, Rem Darbinyan, from the US to Armenia 📹 Ani Safaryan, Marketing Manager at Native Teams, introduces an all-in-one platform to invoice international clients in Armenia for remote work 💳 Explore all tech events and learn about the ones in English for the next month with Artak Tech blogger 😊 Do you like the magazine and its content? Consider a $10 donation to the City of Smile Charitable Foundation to help children in Armenia fight cancer 🏥   Mathew Zein English Writer Joyfully in Armenia #DigitalNomadsArmenia #LifeinArmenia #RemoteWorkArmenia

When Juan de Lara joined the Armenian Institute, he was tasked with managing the administration of the charity while developing the future growth of our Institute, both of which he has taken in his stride and accomplished. From transforming the organisational structure, to ensuring the charity continues to be sustainable, to launching new projects such as our Heritage of Displacement Project, and running excellent event programmes for our audience, Juan has made a huge impact on the charity. We are excited to share that from October 2024, Juan was appointed a Teaching Fellow at the University of Oxford. Nonetheless, Juan will not become a stranger to the Armenian Institute and will continue supporting our organisation as a senior advisor, advancing our charity's goals. Tatiana Der Avedissian, chair of trustees said, "The trustees are really happy for Juan as this is a wonderful opportunity for him, and we'd like to think his work at the Armenian Institute supported this new job opportunity. From the moment we interviewed Juan, he understood the charity's mission and over the last year, along with our incredible staff, they have continued to deliver on making Armenian culture and history a living experience." We celebrate the news as we continue to grow and build on the momentum we have achieved to date. We want to also thank our donors and supporters as they continue to support the Armenian Institute's work.