There is still much to be said about the “Green Village”.
Gagik Aghababyan, who founded his own wine production in the border village of Koghb and has 40 years of winemaking experience, is driven not only by his love for his work, but also, most importantly, by his boundless love and faith in the Motherland and its strong and independent future.

He talks about the factory he founded a few hundred meters from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, his ambitious plans, goals, as well as the challenges he encountered during his activities. We also talk with his daughters, the Aghababyan sisters, about their work and daily life, and about the problems of people with disabilities.

On Saturday morning, we set off for Berdavan with our colleagues.

Although it was Saturday, the village was bustling with activity: the sound of children playing, village-wide conversations, construction, and patriotic songs from the culture house.

BERDAVAN CASTLE

In Berdavan, we were told that anyone who sets foot in the village for the first time should start their visit at Ghalinjakar Castle. The most notable and symbolic fortress in the village is Ghalinjakar, which dates back to the 12th century.

The etymology of the name Berd is revealed in the dialect of the Tavush population with the polysemantic word “ghalin” still in use today. It has the meanings of dense, many, thick, abundant, overflowing.

 

The first three are fully consistent with the name of the fortress: a fortress with many stones, a dense structure and thick walls. The fortress played an important role in the defense of not only the village, but also the population of the region.

Read the rest here.

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Author: Ernest Khanumyan

How do the adults and children of the border village live and what do they think․

The author of the video is Hranush Ananyan, a correspondent for Tavush Media from the community of Noyemberyan.

Musician and performer Karine Alexanyan, (from Tavush region, Voskevan village) shared with Tavush TV the story of her creative path, from the time when owning a guitar seemed like an impossible dream to today, when she inspires her own students.

Karine says that the advantage of creating outside of Yerevan is that her connection with nature has been very close, and it is this connection that has allowed her to ask questions and find answers in nature. In the words of her own song:

“Loneliness has led to deep self-knowledge,
And silence has pricelessly spilled its secrets…”

 

The issues of border settlements are on the agenda of the discussion.

On Tavush TV, Ernest Khanumyan, with Gagik Aghababyan, director of the “Green Village” enterprise, Garik Paytyan, founder of the “Zovak” guesthouse in Norashen, and Karine Saribekyan, director of the “Aghstevi Valley” local active group NGO, highlight the challenges in the border settlements of Tavush, which have consequences for the socio-economic situation of the population.

 

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We continue to present the life and lifestyle of border settlements, problems and challenges.

In Voskevan, in addition to border-security issues, the water problem is extremely acute. As a result of climate change, winters in the region are snowy, precipitation is low, and therefore collecting water reserves is a vital challenge.

At the Tavush TV air, Ernest Khanumyan, along with Nerkin Karmiraghbyur School Teacher Arevik Melikyan, Aygepar School Teacher Tatev Grigoryan, and Koti School Student Council President Lia Azibekyan, explore the security issues in the border settlements of Tavush, which have consequences for the quality and accessibility of education.

Share your observations on the topic in the comments. Write and join the discussion.

The village of Dovegh in Tavush region borders Azerbaijan for about 15 km. Bordering Dovegh is one of the oldest settlements in the Noyemberyan community of Tavush region, it can be said that the residents of Dovegh live in the enemy’s observation post.

Despite a number of problems, the residents of Dovegh try not to leave their native village and try to make it so that people from other places come and enjoy the nature of Dovegh, visit ancient churches and get acquainted with the rich history of their village.

The construction of a new school is an important event for the residents of Dovegh, it is in a safer area and is provided with shelters.

The small number of young people in the village spare no effort to be active and attract public attention to their native Dovegh.

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Author: Hranush Ananyan, a correspondent for Tavush Media from the Noyemberyan community.

The road leads to Barekamavan: Barekamavan, located about 1,000 meters from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, is home to about 150 people today. The peaceful silence of the village was occasionally interrupted by the barking of the “Bear” and the noise of construction in the village center at the time of our filming. Here, in addition to the problems of water, electricity, roads, gas and infrastructure, the border and security issues come first, and according to the villagers, this is the main reason why the population of the village, which previously had 1,500 inhabitants, has decreased by at least 10 times.

The closed shops in the village center, the empty streets and the unharvested trees in the plots of land of closed houses testify to Barekamavan being an “aging village”. There has been a recent surge in activity at the village school: 5 students from Artsakh have joined the students from Bagramavan. The school currently has 20 students. On the walls of the school are information posters about first aid and the rules of conduct in emergency situations, which everyone in Barekamavan knows, regardless of age. The school, which has many material needs, also needs students. The spacious classrooms testify that not so long ago the school had a large influx of students.

This year the school will have 4 graduates. Diana is preparing to become a lawyer. She wants to voice the problems and needs of her village in the legal field. Their daily routine is almost unchanged: in the morning there is school, then gathering in the courtyard of the village church and helping the family.

Barekamavan is now peaceful, there have been no shots heard here in recent years, but the picture of the village is sad and worrying. Barekamavan is emptying. The only young man in the village, Gagik, returned to Barekamavan after graduating. With sadness, but with hope, he talks about the reasons why the village is neglected.

The main concern of the population is the increasingly difficult social situation. In the Soviet years, the villagers were engaged in gardening and animal husbandry, and now they do nothing, only with the worrying excuse that most of the lands are under the observation of the enemy, and the other part is mined. There is so little water that even the lands near the houses are not enough and they remain uncultivated. Barekamavan is in dire need of attention and “friendship”. The question here seems to be not rhetorical: how to keep the border population in the village. Before our eyes, peacefully and calmly, the once populous population of Barekamavan is aging and thinning.

 

Cultural Issues in the Border Settlements of Tavush: Discussion on Tavush TV

In the Tavush TV air, Ernest Khanumyan, with Lilit Ghalumyan, Head of the Education, Culture and Youth Department of the Ijevan Municipality, Armen Melikyan, Director of the Berd Community Culture House, and Artur Melkonyan, Director of the Voskevan Cultural Center, explore the challenges hindering the development of culture in the border settlements of Tavush, as well as the ways and prospects for overcoming them.

Share your opinions on the topic in the comments. Write and join the discussion.