Over 100 museums in Armenia will join the pan-European initiative “Night of Museums”. This year’s “Night of Museums” will be held under the slogan “The future of museums in rapidly changing communities”.
According to a report to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the museums will be open free of charge for all visitors from 11:00 to 00:00 on May 17, and on May 18 – during the museums’ working hours.
“More than 100 museums in Armenia that have joined the program will open their doors to the public as platforms for cultural dialogue with a variety of activities, once again confirming the important mission of museums in the context of confronting modern challenges and shaping the preservation of cultural heritage,” the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport said in a statement.
Advertising of gambling games will be prohibited at the checkpoints of the state border of Armenia and in the hotels of the country.
arminfo.info
On May 7 at the plenary session of the National Assembly the amendments to the law “On Advertising”, proposed by Narek Kahramanyan, NA deputy from “Civil Contract” faction, will be discussed in the first reading. According to the author of the initiative, the necessity of adopting the law is conditioned by the requirements of restricting the placement of gambling advertisements. It is proposed to introduce a ban on placing advertisements of gambling, Internet gambling, casinos and gambling halls, lotteries at the checkpoints of the RA state border, as well as in hotel complexes with at least 4 stars.
According to the rapporteur, the number of advertisements of various gambling establishments, casinos and gambling halls on billboards at the border checkpoints and hotels has increased noticeably recently. It was noted that it also negatively influences the image of Armenia as a country with thousand-year history and rich culture.
Kahramanyan informed that before the discussion of the second reading a number of other amendments will be made in the regulation of the gambling sector. The law should come into force on June 1, 2025.
In his turn, RA Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan presented the government’s positive position on the document, suggesting to consider the expediency of making relevant amendments to the law “On Winning Games, Internet and Casino Games” between the first and second readings in order to eliminate contradictions between the two laws. The Minister recalled that earlier the previous parliament adopted the relevant package of laws, but left the possibility of organizing games in 5-star hotels and at checkpoints, which was due to the need to take into account the interests of tourists. Now this loophole, which was also used by the citizens of Armenia, is completely closed. There will be no advertising in the airports of the country.
The Armenian Genocide Museum is visited by up to 100,000 visitors every year. At the press conference held at the press center of Armenpress, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Edita Gzoyan proudly noted that their museum is among the three most visited museums in Armenia.
“The geography of visits to our museum is quite extensive, and it should be said that recently there have been some changes in the structure. If a few years ago the Armenian Genocide Museum was visited by more people from Russia and different European countries, now it is noticeable that the number of tourists from China, South Korea and the Philippines is increasing,” said Edita Gzoyan.
To create better conditions for tourists to visit the museum and provide information in foreign languages, the audio guide service is being expanded. Since last year the museum’s audio guide includes English, French and Russian languages. In cooperation with Brusovsky State University, the materials have been translated into Chinese and Korean, and the audio guide service will soon be available in these two languages as well. German, Arabic and Italian will be included in the future.
Edita Gzoyan informed that there are also Turks among the visitors. Their number reaches several hundreds every year. Last year 300 Turkish tourists visited the museum.
In September, the Museum of History of Armenia will open a joint exhibition with the French Louvre, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan said.
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia Zhanna Andreasyan / armeniatoday.am
According to her, cooperation with the Berlin Museum is also planned, while the National Art Gallery of Armenia, in its turn, will organize an exhibition in France.
In addition, the minister said that the recently completed exhibition “Mother Divinity: from Anahit to Mary” organized at the Museum of History of Armenia in cooperation with the British Museum was visited by more than 55 thousand visitors. According to Andreasyan, this is the highest level of attendance of the exhibition in the history of Armenia. The work of the exhibition lasted for six months.
”In Memory” concert dedicated to the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will be held at Komitas Chamber Music House. The evening will be held on April 23 at 19:00, the Chamber Music House reports.
The evening will feature works by Armenian and foreign composers. The program of the evening includes:
Harutyun Dellalyan – “Victory Requiem” for organ;
Komitas – “Surb-Surb (Saint)”, “Holy God”, “My Trembling Heart” (words by M. Hayrivanetsi), “Springtime”;
John Tavener – “Song for Athene”;
Samuel Barber – “Agnus Dei”;
Tigran Mansuryan – “For God the Father” (words by K. Zaryan), “Lamb of God” (words by K. Zaryan) and “On the Slopes of Alagyaz” (words by A. Isaakyan);
David Galajyan – “Do You Think I Want to Run Away” (Weißt du,ich will mich schieichen) (words by M. Rilke), “Lord God” (Domine Deus), “Songs of Love and Death” (words by R. Sevak).
The concert will be held with the participation of the State Chamber Choir of Armenia under the direction of its director and chief conductor, People’s Artist of Armenia Robert Mlkeyan. The soloists will be Tereza Voskanyan (organ) and Harutyun Taghvoryan (organ).
Entrance for children from 6 years old. Tickets cost from 2 to 3 thousand drams.
Armenian winemakers have started discussing with the State Tourism Committee the possibilities of developing wine routes. Varuzhan Muradyan, founder of “Van Ardi” winery (Aragatsotn region), told Sputnik Armenia.
Armenian wine during the tour / mar-ta.tourister.ru
According to him, recently representatives of wineries met with the chairwoman of the committee Lusine Gevorgyan and presented a number of organizational proposals. Earlier, the Committee jointly with the Winegrowing and Winemaking Foundation held courses for the employees of wineries, teaching them the basics of excursion support. This, Muradyan noted, allowed unifying the presentation of information and avoiding contradictions in excursion stories that tourists hear at different wineries.
“Is our wine 6,100 years old or 6,200? We have clarified this and many other points. Tourists visiting several wineries should receive not only a qualitative impression from tasting, but also holistic, coordinated information,“ he noted during the conference ”Financial Opportunities and Prospects of Small and Medium Businesses” organized by the Union of Banks of Armenia in the village of Voskevaz.
Excursion routes in Aragatsotn – to Amberd Fortress, Saghmosavank, Mughni temples and other sights – are often accompanied by visits to wineries. However, a full-fledged wine infrastructure similar to that in Italy, Spain or Georgian Kakheti has not yet been formed.
“There is potential. The number of wineries is growing, new ones are appearing, including family productions. And I am happy about it: the more points on the wine map, the higher the interest in each of us,” Muradyan added.
A few years ago, Aragatsotn winemakers, trying on the role of tourists, drove around their own enterprises to see how the wine route looks like from the guests’ point of view. However, the initiative was never developed. David Hovhannisyan, the owner of Voskevaz winery told Sputnik Armenia.
“Frankly speaking, we ourselves did not show enough consistency. We didn’t finalize the route with tour operators – the production season or current affairs got in the way. Yes, operators bring guests to us, but there are no coordinated routes with other wineries yet,” he admitted.
Ashtarak region of Aragatsotn marz is considered one of the key winemaking regions of Armenia. Over the past 10-15 years, new wineries have opened here, including with the support of the UN Development Program. Funds for the development of rural tourism were partially provided by the Russian government.
The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Palm Sunday (Tsakhkazard) and the day of blessing of children. The holiday is celebrated on the last Sunday of Lent, a week before Easter, and is dedicated to the solemn entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem.
Tatev monastery in Armenia
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II proclaimed Tsakhkazard as the Day of Blessing of the Children in memory of the fact that at the time of Jesus’ entry into the Temple in Jerusalem, the children exultingly exclaimed, “Hosanna to the Son of David”.
In the Armenian Apostolic Church the Holy Liturgy on Palm Sunday is served in the open tabernacle. And on the festive morning the branches of olive or willow trees are blessed.
History of the Feast
People going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover lined the way of Jesus with their clothes, cut branches from palm and olive trees and scattered them on the road. According to the teachings of the Church Fathers, the scattering of clothes before Jesus symbolized liberation from sins. The offering of branches and twigs symbolized special honors and solemnity. The branch of the olive tree was considered a symbol of wisdom, peace, glory, and rejoicing. The offering of palm and olive branches to Christ, who raised Lazarus, symbolized victory over death.
Christ went to Jerusalem of his own free will to show that he was the Lamb of God who would atone for the sins of all men by his suffering and death.
The period from the Monday after the feast of Tzahkazard until the Bright Sunday of Christ is called Holy (Great) Week. Each of its days is also called Great, having a conventional name, which is dedicated to one or another event from the earthly life of the Savior. The last commandments, sufferings, death and resurrection of Christ are mentioned. The main rites of the Great Week begin on Holy (Great) Thursday.
Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan Signs Law on Launching the Republic’s EU Membership Process on April 4, 2025.
The law was adopted by the National Assembly of Armenia in the second and final reading on March 26, 2025.
In the preface of the document it is stated that “Armenia, aiming at developing democratic institutions, increasing the welfare of the society, strengthening the security of the country, stability and supremacy of the law, announces the beginning of the process of membership in the European Union.”
As Arman Yeghoyan, Head of the NA Committee on European Integration, stated, this draft law simply expresses the will of the Armenian people, at the moment there are no plans to apply for membership of the republic in the EU.
The Armenian Parliament on Wednesday passed the law “On the beginning of the process of membership of the Republic of Armenia in the European Union” in the second and final reading. Sixty-four MPs voted in favor, 7 against. Deputies from the opposition Armenia Alliance, whose leader is former President Robert Kocharyan, did not participate in the vote.
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan noted that the adoption of the law is not a bid for EU membership, but reflects the desire of Armenian citizens “to take the partnership with the European Union to a new level.”
The bill adopted on March 26 was proposed by the extra-parliamentary “Platform of Democratic Forces”, which in the fall of 2024 collected and submitted to the Central Election Commission of Armenia more than 60 thousand signatures in support of the referendum on European integration. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also emphasizes that Armenia’s application for EU membership, according to the Constitution, should be approved in a referendum after consultations with the EU leadership on the roadmap.
Earlier during the report a map was shown, on which all the countries of the region, except Armenia, were depicted.
French TV channel Arte France apologized for publishing a map of the region without Armenia in its program “28 Minutes”. This was reported by journalist Krikor Amirzanyan. “The host of the program Elizabeth Keane apologized for what happened, noting that there was a collective mistake and the authors of the program regret what happened. She thanked the viewers for their indulgence, noting that there was no malicious intent.”
Recall that the “28 Minutes” report referred to anti-government protests in Turkey. And the map showed all the countries of the region, except Armenia. The situation caused a stir in social networks, and both users, public organizations and media reacted to it.
The Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) noted that 110 years after the Armenian Genocide, Arte France is implementing the pan-Turkist dream and simply erasing Armenia from the world map. Hayastan magazine, published in France, wrote that it expects an apology from Arte.
