“Identity: Dialect as a National Treasure”

The event, organized with the participation of students from the Center’s media literacy, creative journalism, English, and Russian language groups, was held in the carpet-making classroom, an environment where the “speaking carpets” bear witness to our national identity.

The carpet ornaments, originating from different regions, represent a rich and diverse part of Armenian cultural heritage. During the event, the participants presented the dialects of Lori, Artsakh, Shirak, and Syunik, reading and interpreting Hovhannes Tumanyan’s well-known short stories in these dialects. The students emphasized that dialects not only carry regional identity but also preserve important cultural and historical layers.

The event was also attended by Alina Yesayan, a teacher of Armenian language and literature at the school of the Arapi community. In her speech, she noted: “Dialects are certainly not merely forms of speech; they are the face of our people, our history and culture. This event is very important because it reveals how unique our regions are and how great a responsibility we have to preserve and pass on our linguistic and lexical heritage. The students’ participation in this event, by reading Tumanyan’s stories in the respective dialects, shows that they are ready to discover their deep connections with their heritage and culture and, in this way, pass them on to future generations with pride and dignity.”

The event contributed not only to recognizing linguistic and lexical differences, but also to highlighting the importance of preserving and promoting our national treasure — dialects. At the end of the event, the students reaffirmed an important message: “Dialects are our roots; the deeper and more alive these roots are, the stronger our national identity.”