Representatives from Europa Nostra and its regional Heritage Hub in Athens, managed by Elliniki Etairia – The Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage, visited Yerevan, Armenia, from 26-28 October 2023. Meetings were held with more than 20 local stakeholders, both from Armenia and from the former Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh). The on-site visit was organised in the frame of the pilot project European Heritage Hub, funded by the European Union and led by Europa Nostra, in which Elliniki Etairia participates as an affiliated partner. Arch. Gaianè Casnati, Council member of Europa Nostra, and Dr. Stavroula Thravalou representing the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub in Athens, took part in the on-site visit.
Semi-structured interviews with representatives from the public sector, universities, museums, professionals and NGOs revealed the needs and challenges of the involved actors in the cultural heritage sector in Armenia. The Europa Nostra team was also able to meet with representatives of some governmental organisations displaced from Nagorno- Karabakh which, despite the current lack of legal structure and economic resources, continue to work towards their cultural objectives.
The main goals of the on-site visit were:
- Acquiring a more accurate perspective of the state of play in the field of cultural heritage in Armenia.
- Better understanding the needs and challenges of local NGOs, the structure of the local administration, the concept of heritage at local scale (young people and professionals).
- Networking through direct and personal contact, bringing together various local organisations and authorities.
- Promoting and disseminating of the European Heritage Hub project, the role of Europa Nostra and the Athens Hub, as well as the digital tools to be developed by the project.
Discussion on the role of civil society in built heritage conservation
On October 30, Dr. Stavroula Thravalou delivered a lecture on “Environmental aspects of vernacular heritage. Documentation and awareness raising” at the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA) for students enrolled in the newly launched Master’s program in Monuments Preservation. The session featured an in-depth discussion on the significance of vernacular architecture and its conservation. It also highlighted the initiatives of the Athens Heritage Hub and Elliniki Etairia in fostering civic engagement and raising awareness.
The on-site visit was an important opportunity to verify on the spot the difficult situation of the displaced people from the former Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and the threats to the preservation of their immovable, movable, tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It also served to test the relevant capacity of Europa Nostra to create networks and share good practices. Within a few days, Europa Nostra experts made an impact by connecting different experts and organisations and promoting future collaborations through a participatory approach, which is quite new in the Armenian context.
You can find further information about the visit here