Armenia’s Teryan Cultural Center among winners of 2024 Europa Nostra Awards
Posted on June. 16. 2024
Armenia’s Teryan Cultural Center has been named one of the winners of the 2024 Europa Nostra Awards.
The European Commission and Europa Nostra today announced the 2024 winners of the European Heritage Awards/Europa Nostra Awards, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. This year, Europe’s most prestigious awards for heritage go to 26 outstanding winners from 18 countries across the continent.
Since 2002, the Teryan Cultural Center has been committed to the study and preservation of Armenian culture, undertaking extensive research and hosting exhibitions about this culture. Since 2016, it has partnered with the Smithsonian Institute to take part in the ‘My Armenia’ project, training 55 Armenian artisans from the region of Nagorno- Karabakh and Armenia, and enabling them to share their crafts with local and international audiences. Some of the training programmes have also been supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Armenia.
Following the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2020, the Center swiftly transformed itself into a beacon of hope, offering humanitarian aid to Armenian refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh. In the face of the extreme adversity that these displaced people face, culture and heritage have been utilized to foster pride and create a sense of hope for the future.
Among the activities, participants have been trained in practical skills, such as sewing, to help them launch their own businesses in heritage crafts. ‘The Taste and Smell of Artsakh’ programme was also launched to support the participants in establishing traditional food businesses, selling food that is typical to the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The training programme soon expanded into makeup artistry, hairstyling and ceramic art, thus providing a wide range of activities to aid displaced individuals in adapting to their new lives in Armenia.
Between 40 and 55 people take part each year, with the majority of participants being women. In addition, the activities are adapted for people with disabilities, ensuring the Teryan Cultural Center remains accessible and accom Admin modating to a wide variety of participants. By providing a space where people can both learn and work, on a learning-bydoing basis, the center addresses gaps in the Armenian job market and helps champion the unique heritage qualities of Armenians. More recently, in autumn 2023, an additional group of over 100,000 Armenian people from Nagorno-Karabakh were forcibly displaced. To support them, the Teryan Cul-tural Center provides food, hygiene items and clothes, as well as psychological support, educational activities and help in searching for jobs. The next goal of the Center is to empower current and past students to become teachers and mentors for new stu-dents once they have finished their courses, and to compen-sate them for their efforts. “The Teryan Cultural Center is exemplary in the way that it preserves and revitalizes Armenian cultural and heri-tage traditions that are at risk of being lost forever while using craft skills to create opportunities for (forcibly) dis-placed people who are building a new life for their families. Evolving organically in response to these pressing needs, the center goes beyond the usual heritage frameworks and represents a continuous effort to support the Armenian com-munity from the region of Nagorno Karabakh and its cul-tural heritage after its forced expulsion”, the Jury said.