This year, we are teaming up with three organizations in Armenia, each of whom will have special programs over the course of the festival.
◊◊◊
Media Initiatives Center [MIC]
Media Initiatives Center (MIC) has been working in the media sector of Armenia for more than 25 years, supporting freedom of expression, development of independent media, improvement of media legislation and the protection of journalists’ rights. The non-profit has extensive experience in media training, media literacy and media content production. MIC is an integral part of the media landscape.
♦ VR: Civil Unrest
Interactive Experience / Discussion
Civil Unrest is a VR simulation of a journalist’s experience covering a progressively violent protest. The training set is crafted for frontline journalists to help navigate high-stakes situations. The experience will be made available to a limited number of non-journalists for the first time during the EVN Media Festival. The aim is to start a conversation between media and their reader, bridging the gap between the journalist and the citizen through the medium of a shared experience in a safe space.
Civil Unrest is part of a training course designed by Brussels-based HEAD SET IMMERSIVE, a group of frontline journalists and health professionals using innovative training techniques to prepare journalists to face real crises by providing them with a self-check mechanism. The program is made available in Armenia through partnership with the Media Initiatives Center.
⧫ Facilitators:
Artur Papyan
Roubina Margossian
↳At NCA, Small Theater
♦ Media Literacy Workshop
Discover the power of online content and its influence on our thoughts at our Media Literacy Workshop! Learn to identify propaganda and manipulation tactics, navigate the sea of information, verify facts, and distinguish truth from fiction. Dive into interactive activities where you can experience what it’s like to be a journalist by stepping in front of our special screen and delivering a weather report or creating your own TV news segment. Join us to become savvy media consumers and critical thinkers!
↳At NCA, Abovyan entrance
♦♦♦
Cultural and Social Narratives Laboratory [CSN Lab]
CSN Lab is a multifarious think tank researching and revealing issues relevant to contemporary cultural and social landscapes in Armenia and the broader South Caucasus region. They prioritize the accessibility of language and the application of diverse media, methodologies, and formats to make humanitarian research engaging for different audiences. Their interdisciplinary and participatory projects span a broad spectrum of thematic dimensions, including, but not limited to cultural rights, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, memory studies, migration, regional conflicts, and the enduring consequences thereof. The CSN Lab’s primary objectives revolve around fostering cultural dialogues, advancing discourse on peace, fostering democratic memory and values through culture.
♦ Panel Discussion: Culture Is (a) Right
Reflection on Cultural Rights in Armenia and Georgia
Within the framework of the Cultural and Social Narratives Laboratory’s (CSN Lab) international conference “Culture Is (a) Right”, a pre-conference panel discussion will be held during the EVN Report Media Festival.
Over the past several years, the South Caucasus and Eastern Neighbourhood regions have witnessed exceptional developments, with catastrophic escalations of conflicts, wars and their destructive consequences. The 2020 Artsakh War, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, forced displacements, migration flows, and geopolitical turbulence resulted in crises throughout the entire region.
The tectonic transformations have reshaped political boundaries, and irreversibly impacted the social, economic and cultural landscapes. Not only have violations of fundamental rights become common, but also cultural rights of different societies.
In light of collapsed illusions and identity crisis culture becomes a remedy, a beacon and a space of renaissance and resilience. As an integral part of human rights, cultural rights serve as exceptional lenses to observe, reflect on and understand the traumatic past as well as current affairs.
While the public discourse in the region often revolves around the violations of human rights, the “Culture Is (a) Right” conference organized by the CSN Lab seeks to shine a spotlight on the less explored realm — the pivotal role of cultural rights as guardians of democratic values and stability in the region.
Given the regional impact of the disturbing developments, the “Culture Is (a) Right” conference will focus on the interconnected situations unfolding in Armenia and Georgia.
During the panel discussion, experts from Armenia and Georgia will delve into the complex dynamics of culture and media as crucially important dimensions for fostering resilience and democracy in the region. They will reflect on the current situation in both countries, analyze the transformations of cultural life, talk about the perception of cultural rights within the societies, discuss memory politics, and finally — share how cultural rights and media narratives can serve as catalysts for reconsolidation and strengthening democracy in the region amidst current challenges.
⧫ Panelists:
Tigran Amiryan
Sona Karapoghosyan
Maya Mateshvili
Natia Mikeladse-Bachsoliani
Andranik Shirinyan
⧫ Moderator: Sheila Paylan
*English with Armenian interpretation
↳At NCA, Sayat-Nova entrance
♦ Kechut: Memory Under the Water
Memory Visualization
Water is life.
Water can also be a catalyst for conflicts and clashes between different states and societies.
“Kechut: Memory Under the Water” is an interdisciplinary research project that pays tribute to the old village of Kechut, submerged during the construction of the Kechut reservoir, and to the residents who were forced to leave their homes, facing the trauma of displacement. This is the first digitization of memory about the consequences of the water-ecological colonization of Armenia. This exploration of memory is the result of a collaborative effort involving a diverse group of specialists, including cultural and social anthropologists, architects, urbanists, illustrators, and web designers. This project addresses an issue that has remained unspoken for many decades, not only in Armenia but also in other post-Soviet republics. The story of the village submerged beneath the water is based on the insights from the examination of the Soviet Union’s environmental discourse, oral stories collected over a year, the visualization of memory, and the deconstruction of a complex past.
↳At NCA, Small Theater
♦♦♦
CyberHUB-AM
CyberHUB-AM is a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Armenian civil society — NGOs, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and independent media, serving as a contact point and help desk while, also collecting, analyzing and anonymously and responsibly sharing incident data and indicators with the global threat intelligence community. CyberHUB-AM guarantees the confidentiality of the information it receives about incidents.
♦ Digital Security Clinic
The CyberHUB-AM team will run a digital support help desk called Digital Security Clinic at the upcoming EVN Media Festival. This clinic will offer attendees expert guidance on a range of cybersecurity concerns.
The Digital Security Clinic will be located inside the venue of the Festival marked by CyberHUB-AM’s banner.
CyberHUB-AM’s team of seasoned digital security consultants and threat researchers will be at your disposal, ready to assist with:
- Device Configuration: Ensuring your devices are fortified with the latest security settings to keep your digital identity intact.
- Account Security Checks: Reviewing and strengthening the security of your online accounts against unauthorized access.
- Malware and Virus Diagnostics: Employing cutting-edge tools to scan and cleanse your computers and mobile phones of malicious software.
- Personal Digital Risk Assessment: Collaborating with you to evaluate and mitigate risks tailored to your personal digital footprint.
- Security Education: Providing insights and best practices to empower you in maintaining your digital hygiene post-conference.
Our goal is to equip everyone with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the digital landscape securely. Whether you’re a seasoned tech professional or new to the digital world, CyberHUB-AM is here to enhance your cybersecurity posture.
This initiative by CyberHUB-AM not only addresses immediate security concerns but also fosters a culture of cybersecurity awareness among festival attendees. It’s a testament to CyberHUB-AM’s proactive approach in creating a safer digital environment for everyone.
↳At NCA, Sayat-Nova [downstairs]
∼ Please make sure to reserve your seat! ∼
Registration is free.
♦♦♦