The Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is happy to announce that Zarmanazan, the Western Armenian language immersion programme, will take place in person from 11 July to 6 August 2022, in France.

Zarmanazan is a place where children, young adults, teachers and facilitators from the Diaspora are joined by the common willingness to learn and explore the Western Armenian language to its fullest.

Zarmanazan is composed of three distinct but interconnected parts:

• A programme for 10 to 17 year old children and teenagers
• A programme for 18 to 24 year old young adults
• A university certificate programme for teachers of Western Armenian.

Children, teenagers and young adults participate in various immersive activities adapted by age groups. These include visual arts and audio-visual workshops, crafts, music, theatre and movement, creative writing, literary readings, outdoor games, and nature-based explorations. All activities are created and led by a talented and qualified team of facilitators. The young adult workshops involve expressive elements, therefore require an intermediate comfort level in Armenian.

The number of spaces is limited, so applications need to be submitted promptly. The deadline is 6 March 2022.

The certified intensive programme for Diaspora-based Western Armenian educators, in collaboration with the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) in Paris, runs part of its programming during the Zarmanazan summer session. This includes theoretical instruction as well as a guided practicum. The number of participants is limited to 15.  Information regarding the full course is forthcoming. 

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zarmanazan will follow French health and hygiene regulations including protective measures/distancing, cleaning/disinfection, medical monitoring, and other mandates that might be in place during the summer. Zarmanazan will follow the rules and guidelines imposed by the French government concerning vaccination. Participants are encouraged to refer to the latest travel guidelines of their respective countries of residence.

For more information and to register, visit

The “Zarmanazan” educational programme was launched by the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2017 as part of its Western Armenian revitalization initiatives. It is organized in partnership with L’association Mille et un Mondes (Lyon, France) and the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO, Paris, France). The Zarmanazan summer programme is certified by the French Ministry of Youth and Sports.

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