In memory of the three heroes of the 1977 movie Mimino, set in Dilijan (trailer, see below).

My first introduction to the Armenian diaspora was in the early 1990s through Hasmik Papian, who was performing at the Bonn Opera. I also had the privilege of meeting some of her friends and family gathering in her home in “Weststadt” of the city with late “Gründerzeit” architecture. Back then, being a young science student, this was a formative introduction to an interesting and new genre. Since then Armenia stayed in my mind, and with the many tragedies and disasters, it faced since 1915, which probably have still not ended with the 2021 ceasefire agreement. Of course, I remember “Pour toi Arménie”, a charity song by the Franco-Armenian Charles Aznavour performed by a group of French singers, to gather relief after the earthquake in December 1988. Even though, I have to say this is a little too cheesy for my taste. For long car drives to the Netherlands recently, I do have some other songs sung by Charles Aznavour in my playlist, for example, “La Bohème” and others of his early chansons.

It took more than 30 years until I set my feet into Armenia for the first time, and I remain being impressed by the country and its people. I was originally planning to go to Moscow last week, but with recent events in Ukraine and the implications this has on logistics, activities have been diverted to Dilijan, a small town two hours drive from Yerevan. With a very tight schedule, I did not have the chance to travel around. But Armenia will be one of my coming destinations, to explore more. What surprised me very much to find in Dilijan was the United World College. Inspired by the UWC in Maastricht, Ruben Vardanyan together with his wife Veronica Zonabend, founded this very impressive initiative and I am happy to see it flourishing and alive.

Mimino (1977). The story of a big dream in Dilijan.

5 years UWC. Another story of a big dream in Dilijan.