My Experience
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-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=23dae2fe2058834442cf039b65314523 "A New Home Where Jazz Plays: Mikhail Fominykh")
Personal Stories19.01.2026“Jazz has the power to transcend borders, foster dialogue, and ignite joy and hope”: these words, spoken by American jazz pianist and composer, 14-time Grammy Award winner, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, incredibly accurately describe the story of my new hero. Jazz double bassist Mikhail Fominykh, like many others, was forced to leave Russia. He had to overcome both territorial and cultural boundaries on his way to a place that later became his new home. Jazz became the foundation upon which strong dialogue with new people was built and hope for joyful days ahead was sown. -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=4ec2cdaea610009dbd01c69de2e46b11 "To Work Without the Right to Give Up. Artush Yeghiazaryan")
Personal Stories22.12.2025Fighting Against Mine Exploitation as a Starting Point for Repatriation Having received an education and lived abroad for many years, Artush Yeghiazaryan, a native of Leninakan, one fine day in 2018 returned to his hometown — now Gyumri, formerly Leninakan — bringing with him solid professional experience.The decision to return home was not made immediately; moreover, it came only after nearly five years of active work in and for the homeland: “In 2012, like most Armenians who do not live in Armenia but live with Armenia in their hearts, I came across a Facebook post about a group of young people who were fighting against the opening of a mine in Teghut. This situation had a strong impact on me; I contacted them and offered my help. We became friends, and the story of the mine became the starting point on my path back home.” -
-webp(85)-o(png).webp?token=514c9bae97812b82544efe84923701c0 "“Building should be based on what unites us.” Lusine Khumaryan")
Personal Stories17.12.2025Leaving Armenia Is an Unhealed Trauma Recently, the Forum of Armenian Culture and Art took place in Yerevan, organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Armenia. The founder of Armenian Creators, Lusine Khumaryan, who has been living in the Netherlands for many years, was also invited to the forum. Her visit became an occasion to get acquainted with her and to speak about the platform of Armenian creators she founded. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=1ce51404708b97e32959b5a5620cc77e "Where Dreams Take Root")
Personal Stories21.07.2025Growing up in Moscow, first visits to Armenia Kolya Stepanyan was born in Moscow. His parents moved there from Goris a few years before he was born. As a child, Kolya visited his grandparents in Goris a few times – those trips kept his connection to Armenia alive, even if it sometimes felt fragile. “When I was 15, I visited Armenia for the first time as a teen. That trip stuck with me. I felt something — maybe even love. Growing up in Russia was tough. Armenians and other minorities were treated like second or third-class citizens. Things have gotten a bit better, but not much. I always felt like an outsider, even though I had many friends in Moscow,” he recalls. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=4f9ab74c7ea76c9802db2935a15ddda7 "Ezequiel Guiragossian and His Traveling Social Circus")
Personal Stories12.06.2025Walking through Yerevan or driving around the city, you might notice a young man juggling – he looks like someone from a kind childhood story. That’s Ezequiel Guiragossian – a juggler, acrobat, and founder of Circo Fractal, who has now been living in Armenia for about a year. Born in Buenos Aires to an Armenian father and Italian mother, Ezequiel had never seriously considered coming to Armenia – until a conversation with his uncle changed everything. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=9c2a4ada67890d67bcc35f822c357de6 "“In Armenia, You’re a Different Person”")
Personal Stories18.04.2025At the end of 2021, Repat Armenia launched its Armenia Works 4U program, welcoming 50 Lebanese-Armenians. A year later, the program expanded to include 40 more participants, this time from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=0a88239e8670ed4db9c6fb53f202cf57 "At Home with Herself – in Armenia")
Opinions17.03.20252 minLiving in Russia with Armenian roots Elena Kurchavova inherited more than just her grandfather’s Armenian eyes – she also picked up his love for art. “My grandfather, Nerses Vartanovich Markosyan, was born in the village of Zargeran. I was only five when he passed away, so I didn’t really get to know him. But there are a few photos of us together. We granddaughters take after him, especially around the eyes. And I think I got his love of painting and color too – he used to copy artworks,” Elena says. Elena’s path has taken many turns – she has been a teacher, decorator, and trained restorer of oil paintings. She once worked at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow, and later shifted her focus to textile interior design and creative workshops for kids. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=a670eee539b18af8233f643abf2f0447 "Daniel’s Journey From the Swiss Peaks to the Armenian Highlands")
Personal Stories15.11.20243 min readSwitzerland and Armenia, both countries are small, landlocked, blessed with beautiful mountains, and rely on innovative technologies due to limited natural resources. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=010b7560b5be8118a7cd5c35e7572d32 "From Bahraich to Yerevan: An Indian Expat’s Journey into Armenia’s Tech Frontier")
Engage Armenia30.09.20245 min readIn the rapidly evolving world of technology, professionals are often driven by the desire to explore new horizons, both in their careers and in their personal lives. Rohan Singh, a Senior Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at SADA - an Insight Company, exemplifies this spirit of exploration. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=4b0d2ce1dc1d58e01c2d1e4e1d61a8cb "6 Ways to Continue Learning as an Adult in Armenia")
Practical Tips10.06.20243 min readAre you ready to reclaim your heritage and shape Armenia's future? The country provides essential learning opportunities for those looking to continue their educational journey, aiding integration and professional and personal growth. In Armenia's fast development, numerous educational programs are designed to maximize the potential of both local and repatriate populations. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=36b846a027a59ed0886cecc30af39472 "Move2Armenia's Vision for a Thriving Repatriate Community (Part 2)")
Engage Armenia30.04.20247 min readFrom offering a concierge service for repatriated families to providing comprehensive information for potential movers, Move2Armenia has established itself as an invaluable resource for those considering a new life in Armenia. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=df2d42efd3f356bc85b6feaddd4cfeea "Building Bridges: The Inspiring Journey of Move2Armenia (Part 1)")
Engage Armenia26.03.20246 min readMove2Armenia is a movement started by three Armenian repatriates from Russia in January 2022. With a mission parallel to that of Repat Armenia, Move2Armenia is dedicated to making Armenia a hub for living, working, business, and education. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=55e6265275d5088dbbe53879fb42d3a1 "Empowering Artsakh Armenians through Remote Jobs")
28.11.20233 min readAfter a devastating nine-month blockade, Azerbaijan launched a full-scale on the peaceful population of Artsakh, leading to their forced displacement. More than 100,000 refugees sought shelter in Armenia, facing an uncertain future. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=c0311fd6645811c97530af81c97e77f5 "Strengthening Armenia's Defenses: Getting Involved with VOMA and Azatazen")
13.11.20233 min readIn the wake of the 2020 war, Armenia saw the emergence of private military volunteer units dedicated to bolstering the nation's defenses and empowering its people. Two prominent organizations at the forefront of this movement are VOMA and Azatazen. -
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=072e0790d21b25dd639872331f78ded1 "A Soldier in His Own Right")
Personal Stories27.04.20234 min readReturning to the homeland was my sole desire after the war in 2021.
