Inga Vardanyan: “Our “Grqabac” creates a new culture of reading”

When volunteers of the Armenian General Benevolent Union decided to create library classrooms in any Yerevan school, it was not even possible to imagine that the idea will soon come out from the borders of Yerevan and will cover the regions of Armenia and Artsakh. It was called “Grqabac”/opening book/ by volunteers’ initiative, which was first realized at  the school №196 after Ashot Navasardyan.

Within the frameworks of the “Grqabac” a school classroom, which was in poor condition, was completely renovated by volunteers and turned into a unique library-reading hall, where well-known people, art professionals are invited, who read fairy tales, stories. Inga Vardanyan, the head of the AGBU Young Professionals Yerevan group, is confident that it is not only a new culture of reading for children, but also a new and up-to-date platform for ideas and thoughts. “Our initiative is not an ordinary library, it’s an opportunity for children to communicate, talk, and express their opinions. Sometimes it is just amazing how children analyze the books they read, what they are examining, how deep and multilayered they think and analyze. I think that the ability to debate, and analyze today is most important for children and we are glad that our initiative contributes to it. This creates a new culture of education, reading and bookmaking, “she says.

Head of the AGBU Yerevan Young Professionals Group is proud of and highlights the fact that the initiative was fully implemented on a voluntary basis.

She happily emphasizes that today especially girls are actively involved in the discussions at “Grqabac” to learn to express their opinion and to insist on the viewpoint, not being stigmatized by any stereotypes. “I am convinced that every woman in any field can state how difficult it is for a woman to insist on her opinion, debate or not to disagree with others. That’s how it was for me. I’m glad I see that today’s girls are not afraid of it. That’s the key to their success, “she says.

In the next stage, the “Grqabac”, as well as the joint venture of AGBU and the Renaissance “Hello, Saroyan” project will be implemented in the regions of Armenia, especially in the border regions. “We clearly understand that children living in border areas need more support, not only because they continue to live in constant danger, but also because opportunities of those children and children in Yerevan are very different from each other. We try to inspire them with these programs to give them greater opportunities for self-expression. We think that one-time aid cannot solve many issues on the border. For that reason, we place emphasis on the development of their educational capabilities as we believe that only fundamental education can make fundamental changes. Besides, we want them to get more access to their land, and for this reason it is necessary to create conditions for them on the spot “, said Vardanyan.

By the way, the other major project, which carries out the AGBU in the border regions, addresses women’s training and capacity development. The organizers hope that they will be able not only to inspire women living in border areas, but also to give them skills to set up a production on the spot, to carry out business projects. “We are planning to involve women in the business and politics that are in the top of the project. They are here to help women settled on the border with their own experience and move forward. It is important for us that women in border areas and women in Yerevan should recognize each other, be aware of one another’s problems, difficulties, opportunities and abilities, because only through this mutual recognition they can help each other, “says Inga Vardanyan.

The first woman to share her history with the women from the border regions is AGBU Armenia Executive Director Dalar Kazanjyan. Within the framework of the initiative, they plan to open a special booth or shopping point, where women’s handmade jewelry in the frontier zones, sweets prepared by them will be sold, which will not only encourage them but also will be considerable financial support. Before having such a center in Yerevan, it is planned that rooms will be opened in places where trainings and training programs will contribute to raising the role of women and especially tourism development.

The AGBU Young Professionals Network was created in 1995, and the Yerevan Group was part of the global network and was set up in 2007. It is the largest youth network in the world and has more than 18,000 volunteers. The main purpose of the volunteer activities is to develop different spheres of Armenia/ education, culture, politics, etc./ through educational programs.