Books at the Border: The book donation program turned into an intellectual game-competition
On June 17, 2025, the “Book at the Border” program of the Nor Nakhijevan Humanitarian Fund was launched at the Kapan Electronic Library. The event was organized in cooperation with the Education, Culture, and Sports Department of the Syunik Regional Administration. The Kapan Club-Library Association also contributed to the organization of the contest by providing the venue of the Electronic Library free of charge.
The goal of the program was to bring together educational and cultural initiatives from Armenia and the Diaspora and, within the framework of Homeland–Diaspora cooperation, to introduce students from the border communities of Syunik to the history and culture of the Armenian community of Nor Nakhijevan on the Don.
The contest took place in the format of an intellectual game. Participants included 7th and 8th-grade students from Kapan schools No. 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 13, as well as the school of Syunik village. A total of seven teams were formed, comprising 21 students and 7 teachers responsible for their preparation and coordination.
Volunteers from Kapan and two representatives of the Union of Armenian Youth of the Don, who had come from Nor Nakhijevan, participated in the organization of the event, supporting and encouraging the student teams. The game was judged by a panel headed by the director of the Fund, Mr. Mher Hovhannisyan, who ensured the process was conducted in accordance with clear and fair evaluation criteria.
The competition began with a welcoming speech by the Fund’s director, Mher Hovhannisyan: “We wanted the youth of our Homeland to become familiar not only with their immediate surroundings but also with the historical layers of the Armenian nation spread across the world. Nor Nakhijevan holds great significance, and today that significance became a driving force behind this wonderful gathering and intellectual competition.” Mr. Hovhannisyan also conveyed greetings from Mr. Harutyun Surmalyan, Chair of the Fund’s Board of Trustees. The director of the host library, Ms. Marine Harutyunyan, also delivered welcoming remarks.
The teams demonstrated their knowledge on the history, culture, and identity of the Armenian community of Nor Nakhijevan.
As a result of the two-hour-long competition, the outcomes were as follows:
First place was awarded to the team from Kapan Basic School No. 6: Yana Zakaryan, Milena Sargsyan, Anri Mkrtchyan; teacher – Sona Antonyan.
Second place went to the team from Kapan Basic School No. 10: Levon Grigoryan, Mane Avetisyan, Nara Iskandaryan; teacher – Anna Sargsyan.
Third place was awarded to the team from Syunik Secondary School: Angelina Arshakyan, Karine Aspoyan, Sofia Martirosyan; teacher – Varduhi Harutyunyan.
The three winning teams were awarded portable computers for their school libraries, as well as scientific-popular and literary books. In addition, they received books about the community and its prominent figures, along with souvenirs, from the Union of Armenian Youth of the Don. The students were also presented with award certificates.
The teams that did not place and their teachers were not overlooked: the students received certificates of participation, and the schools were gifted sets of books. The teachers were awarded letters of appreciation and took home exciting book collections prepared by the Fund for their school libraries.
At the conclusion of the program, the Fund’s director, Mher Hovhannisyan, expressed gratitude to the Education, Culture, and Sports Department of the Syunik Regional Administration, in the person of Department Head Ms. Mery Ghandalyan, for their impartial and ongoing support of the Fund’s socio-educational programs over the past four years. The department was once again a reliable partner at all stages of the program’s organization and implementation. The competition was also attended by department representative Ms. Susanna Hakobyan.
The Fund’s director also extended thanks to the Kapan Municipality and its Club-Library Association, under the patronage of which the event was held, represented by Ms. Marine Harutyunyan, who was awarded a letter of appreciation.
At the end of the competition, participants shared their impressions, expressed words of gratitude, and suggested continuing the program in this format, expanding it first to the regional level and eventually nationwide.
