Marash Embroidery: A Webinar on Heritage and Craft

On July 18, Mane Vardanyan, Diaspora Youth Ambassador to China, in collaboration with the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), hosted an online webinar dedicated to the history, cultural significance, and preservation of Marash embroidery. The event featured master embroiderer Lusine Mkhitaryan, who spoke on the craft’s history and current state in Armenia, and Alina Martirosyan, Development Coordinator of the SO-Art program, who shared the inspiring story behind the initiative—an income-generating handicraft and vocational training program for teenage girls at SOAR’s Transitional Center in Gyumri. The webinar concluded with a lively Q&A session, reflecting the community’s deep interest in safeguarding this unique Armenian tradition.