The Shape Beneath: Armenian Designer Artem Muradyan’s Multiscript Campaign for Cultural Inclusion
In May 2026, Artem Muradyan, an Armenian communication design student from Tongji University, unveiled his graduation project: Ձևի Հիմքում / The Shape Beneath / 形之下. The project is an inclusive cultural campaign identity concept developed for the Matenadaran museum in Armenia, designed to introduce Chinese Song dynasty calligraphy to Armenian audiences through a multisensory experience—visual, audio, tactile, and interactive.The graphic system begins with a single calligraphic character, which is then deconstructed through analysis of its structure, outline, negative space, and visual weight, before being reconstructed into simplified block forms. Each resulting shape is derived from the internal logic of the
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
Armenian Diaspora Youth Ambassadors Discuss Armenian Contributions in China and Iran
On June 5, 2026, an online meeting featured Mane Vardanyan, 2025/2026 Diaspora Youth Ambassador to China, and Predita Gharibyan, 2025/2026 Diaspora Youth Ambassador to Iran. The central theme was the influence and contributions of the Armenian people across the cultural, educational, scientific, and economic spheres of both countries.The speakers highlighted the historical role and enduring significance of Armenian communities, emphasizing their impact on the development of social and intercultural relations. The discussion unfolded in a lively and constructive atmosphere, with participants exchanging thoughtful perspectives and underscoring the role of Armenians in reinforcing the historical and cultural ties between China and
An Armenian Silver Votive Object: Incense, Memory, and Craft in Kayseri
The Walters incense burner (accession number 57.1845), executed in silver in 1791 in Kayseri (Caesarea), embodies the formal and epigraphic conventions of Armenian liturgical metalwork. The object is conceived as a miniature domed church, its interior partitioned into three compartments for the separate storage of incense resins employed in the Armenian Apostolic Eucharist. The lid is embossed with the Agnus Dei, a Christological emblem rooted in early Christian iconography and retained throughout Armenian manuscript illumination and decorative arts. Engraved in Armenian script, the dedicatory inscription reads: Յիշատակ է խնկամանս Երգլէթցի Ալմաեան որթիքն կողակցինէրին Սուլթանին, Թէվրիզին; տ(է)ր Մովսեսի, իրիսկինի Սուլթանի ի թուրն
Armenian Diaspora Youth Ambassadors from China and Canada Host Webinar on Cultural Heritage Preservation
On May 3, 2026, Mane Vardanyan, serving as the Armenian Diaspora Youth Ambassador to China, and Maral Matig, Diaspora Youth Ambassador to Canada, co-organized an online webinar titled “Preserving Armenian Cultural Heritage in Diasporic Communities.” The session brought together participants from multiple countries and was held via video conference.Dr. Ani Margaryan, who held the role of Diaspora Youth Ambassador to China for the 2024/2025 term, delivered the main presentation. She structured her talk around the tangible and intangible categories of cultural heritage as defined by UNESCO, then applied these frameworks to Armenian diasporic communities. She outlined practical preservation methods currently
