
A Glimpse of Armenia in China: Fostering Cultural Understanding at Great Light Montessori
In October, the Great Light Montessori Kindergarten in Guangzhou dedicated the month to the exploration of Armenian culture, traditional garments, and heritage. Under the guidance of their Armenian teacher, Armine Simonyan, and with the support of the international teaching staff, students participated in a range of activities that included learning about Armenia’s geographical location, its national flag, diverse landscapes, historical architecture, and significant cultural sites. Additionally, they examined traditional Armenian musical instruments, the characteristics of Armenian music, culinary practices, basic greetings in the Armenian language, and the distinctive features of the Armenian national costume.
On October 24th, the kindergarten held a celebration showcasing the students’ acquired knowledge. During the event, the children donned modern replicas of traditional Armenian costumes. According to Ms. Simonyan, the presentation profoundly impressed the attendees, including Chinese educators, the kindergarten administration, parents, and an international audience, who particularly noted the vibrant, aesthetic, and elegant nature of the garments.
It is noteworthy that Ms. Simonyan wore traditional garments representative of the Vaspurakan region, characterized by distinct headgear, a silk gown, and an overgarment, all complemented by an embellished apron. She was also wearing Armenian metallic accessories and jewelry pieces. The Chinese children were attired in traditional ensembles from Eastern Armenia, sourced from the ChinArmArt collection, the exclusive collection of Armenian national costumes in China.



