The International Crafts Festival was launched in Gavar today, organized with the support of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. Gavar Central Square has turned into a festival of lively crafts and tastes, hosting craftsmen from Armenia and abroad.
The festival is held at the initiative of Hovhannes Sharambeyan Museum of Folk Arts, in cooperation with the Gavar Municipality. This year’s theme is: “Youth Crafting Taste: Gastronomy and Crafts”.
ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan attended the opening ceremony of the festival. Accompanied by Deputy Minister Alfred Kocharyan and Director of H. Sharambeyan Museum of Folk Arts Lusine Toroyan, she toured the pavilions, got acquainted with the works of the masters, and talked with the participants.
In her remarks, the Minister underlined the significance of holding the festival in Gavar, emphasizing that last year Gavar was the youth capital of Armenia and has already demonstrated the boundless spirit and energy of the local youth, and the festival's concept is completely in line with the creative mind of the youth.
According to Zhanna Andreasyan, when discussing cultural heritage, we often envision only tangible assets—monuments, historical and cultural structures —but intangible cultural heritage is equally important.
“Festivals like this offer a condensed glimpse into the everyday realities of our lives. We wear jewelry, use various objects, and prepare dishes in the kitchen—many of which are also part of our cultural heritage,” the Minister said, emphasizing the significance of preserving and promoting the national cuisine. She emphasized the role of craftsmen as bearers of intangible cultural heritage, noting that intangible heritage is alive as long as there are people who continue to create and recreate it.
“I want us to convey our gratitude to all the craftsmen for their excellent work and creative mind,” emphasized the Minister, also expressing gratitude to Hovhannes Sharambeyan Museum of Folk Arts for its ongoing efforts in preserving, popularizing, and raising public awareness of intangible cultural heritage.
The festival also featured the "Khnotsi-Harotsi" culinary competition, with the following results:
- Hrazdan State Vocational School won the nomination for “Best service”.
- Badeyan Vardenis State College won the nomination for “Best Taste”
- The prize for the “Best Idea” was awarded to the Armenian-Greek State College.
The Crafts Festival will continue tomorrow, June 22.
As part of the visit to Gavar, ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan also visited Vardges Petrosyan Regional Library in Gegharkunik, which has recently been renovated. The Minister familiarized herself with the educational and cultural programs implemented at the library.
