Armenia - Ms. Yeranuhi Margaryan, Chief specialist of the department of cultural heritage and folk crafts. Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia

1. REPUBLIC OF ARMENIAREPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
IMPLEMENTING THE UNESCO CONVENTION
FORTHE SAFEGUARDING INTANGIBLE
CULTURAL HERITAGE
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2. Ratification of conventionRatification of convention
Armenia ratified the convention in 2006
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3. Competent bodies for safeguardingCompetent bodies for safeguarding
intangible cultural heritage In Armeniaintangible cultural heritage In Armenia areare
Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Education and Science
“Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography” of
the National Academy of Science
“Institute of Arts” of the National Academy of
Science
“Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas”
"History Museum of Armenia”
“Folk Art Centre after Hovhannes Sharambeyan”
State Museum of Armenian Ethnography
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4. Institutions for training in intangibleInstitutions for training in intangible
cultural heritage managementcultural heritage management
A number of state higher education
institutions provide formal education in
intangible cultural heritage management in
the Republic of Armenia, amongst which the
education institutions mentioned below do
the most work. There are-
Yerevan State University
Armenian State Pedagogical University
Yerevan State Conservatory
Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts
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5. Documentation institutions for intangibleDocumentation institutions for intangible
cultural heritagecultural heritage
Documents and other documentary materials
about the intangible cultural heritage of the
Republic of Armenia are kept in relevant scientific
and educational institutions, museums, State
Archive of the Republic of Armenia.
The documents on intangible cultural heritage are
the original materials that are written, video
recorded, photographed, audio recorded by
holders, studiers, witnesses; certificates about
intangible cultural elements, as well as the
materialised bearers of intangible cultural heritage
elements.
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6. The state institutions authorised to preserve theThe state institutions authorised to preserve the
aforementioned materials areaforementioned materials are
 “Institute of Archaeology and
Ethnography” of the National Academy of
Science of the Republic of Armenia
“Institute of Arts” of the National
Academy of Science
“Institute of Literature after Manuk
Abeghyan” of the National Academy of
Science
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7. “Folk Art Centre after Hovhannes
Sharambeyan”
“Sardarapat memorial, State Museum of
Armenian Ethnography
"History Museum of Armenia”
“Museum of Literature and Arts after
Eghishe Charents”
“Yerevan State Conservatory after
Komitas”
"National Archive of Armenia”
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8. The aforementioned institutions organise their
operations through state financing, by submitting the
intended programmes to the budget of each year.
State scientific institutions organise research work in
the sphere by cooperating with communities, groups
and individuals bearing intangible cultural heritage.
For the purpose of studying, identifying the elements
of heritage, finding, recording, registering new
materials, regular scientific expeditions are carried
out, the collected materials are deciphered,
documented, originals are archived. Publication is
done by printing relevant scientific works and articles.
Since 2007, scientific institutions, museums, the
National Archive have been doing substantial work
for the digitalisation of the materials that they hold.
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9. There are around 30 history and 10 area-study
state museums in the Republic, which conduct
studies of materials on intangible cultural
heritage, ensure the documentation and archiving
of those materials, organise exhibitions based on
available materials, and for the purpose of
communicating these, accessible conditions are
ensured for all social groups. All the museums in
the system of the Ministry of Culture have web
pages, which introduce the permanent,
temporary exhibitions of the museums, the
content of the materials available in funds. In
future this materials will be posted to the website
of intangible cultural heritage.
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10. For the purpose of ensuring the effective implementation of the
Convention, since 2008, the State has been actively cooperating
with non-governmental organisations operating in the sphere and
created by communities, groups bearing intangible cultural
heritage.
The following non-governmental organisations implement several
programmes within the sphere, in active cooperation with the
State:
1. “Education Support Fund”,
2. “Calendar: Revival of Traditional Festivals”,
3. “Kenats Tsar”,
4. “Kenats Tun”,
5. “Sasna Tun”,
6. “Union of Progressive Scientists of Gavar”,
7. “Armenian Cookery Traditions Development and Protection”,
8. “Areni Fund”,
9. “Noyn Araratyan”,
10. “Meghri 1”,
11. “Areguni”,
12. “School of Cross-Stone Craftsmanship”, etc.
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11. LegislationLegislation
By the Protocol Decision No 46 of 23 November
2006 the Government of the Republic of
Armenia approved of the “Concept on
preservation of intangible cultural heritage,
protection of its viability”, and by the Protocol
Decision No 17 of 3 May 2007 it approved the
“Timeline of the measures stemming from the
concept on preservation of intangible cultural
heritage, protection of its viability”. The latter, in
fact, became the main document for organising
activities in the sphere, in line with which the
2008-2010 measures for the preservation of
intangible cultural heritage, protection of its
viability and for its celebration were organised.
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12.  On 7 October 2009, the National Assembly adopted the
Law of the Republic of Armenia “On intangible cultural
heritage”.
 In 2010-2012, the Government of the Republic of Armenia
approved a number of legal acts, which ensure the
implementation of the law and clarify the procedure for
fulfilling the requirements of law. Particularly:
1. “The criteria for preparing the lists of intangible cultural
values of the Republic of Armenia and the list of intangible
cultural heritage values”,
2. “Procedure of identification, documentation, protection and
information of intangible cultural heritage”,
3. “The criteria for preparing the lists of intangible cultural
heritage needing immediate protection, and the list of
intangible cultural heritage values based thereon”,
4. “The criteria for recognising the cultural areas of the
Republic of Armenia and the list of cultural areas”.
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13. InventoriesInventories
The process of inventory taking for intangible cultural
heritage started in 2008.
In 2009, a professional council for matters of protecting
intangible cultural heritage was created adjunct to the
Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia, which
cooperates with organisations that know the sphere
and carry out educational activities.
As a result of inventory taking, 3 state lists of intangible
cultural heritage approved by the Government of the
Republic of Armenia were created, which are subject
to regular replenishment. The lists are prepared
based on the viability, need for immediate protection
of the element, and on inventory taking for cultural
areas.
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14. The replenishment of the lists of intangible cultural
heritage of Armenia is carried out in accordance
with the “Procedure of identification,
documentation, protection and information of
intangible cultural heritage”
The procedure defines that for the purpose of
discovering, registration and study of intangible
cultural elements, as well as modernisation,
correcting, processing the data in state lists of
intangible cultural heritage of Armenia and
intangible cultural elements in need of immediate
protection, the Ministry of Culture regularly
organises rout scientific expeditions,
systematically comprising the territories of all the
regions of Armenia.
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15. Formal andFormal and non-formal educationnon-formal education
Instruction of a number of domains of
intangible cultural heritage, in particular,
craftsmanship, folk decorative-applied art,
national cuisine skills, has been included
in the state programmes of primary
(handicraft) and middle level vocational
education.
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16. “Special education centre for children"
state non-commercial organisation
operates under the Ministry of Culture.
About 614 children have received and
continue to receive knowledge and skills
related to folk song, folk dance, applied
and decorative arts, crafts, carpet
weaving knowledge and using musical
instruments in the centre in 2006-2012.
At present respective studies are carried
out regarding possibilities of opening new
branches of the centre in other marzes.
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17. In 2007 the government approved the
programme "Compensation of tuition
fees of folk instruments education at
musical schools and art schools of the
Republic of Armenia“, with the purpose
of developing and spreading education
environment and establishing conditions
for affordable education.
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18. "Preservation of intangible cultural heritage
of the Republic of Armenia" discipline has
been introduced and has been instructed
in the chair of museum management
studies and monument studies of the
Department of Culture of Yerevan’s
Armenian State Pedagogical University
starting from 2010 with methodological
support of the Ministry of Culture and
through formal education programmes
with participation of the ministry’s
specialists.
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19. At present a programme of establishment
of State Culture Gymnasium in the city of
Gyumri is discussed in the agenda of the
government. Implementation of the
programme will provide opportunity to
include also almost all domains of
intangible cultural heritage in the sphere
of formal education.
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20. Proceeding from the importance of
preservation of intangible cultural heritage,
transmission thereof to generations in
unaltered state, enhancement of the role of
bearing communities and application of the
heritage, non-formal education standards
have been developed as well. The Ministry of
Culture has implemented about 21 non-
formal education programmes in 2008-2012
with participation of bearers, non-
governmental organisations and state
cultural organisations in the framework of
programmes organised based on the above
standards.
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21. "School of Heritage” established by
“Revival of Traditional Holidays” NGO
with support of the Ministry of Culture
was a new phenomenon in the sphere of
preservation of intangible cultural
heritage in 2008-2010.
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26. The school is well established at present
and continues to operate independently.
Ethnographers, dance specialists,
musicologists and bearers mastering skills
and knowledge in various domains of
intangible cultural heritage, living in the
regions, have been involved in instruction
courses at the school.
Thank you
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