The AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC) Learning Zone program is celebrating its 5th anniversary. The program is dedicated to introducing participants to the values of Armenian historical and cultural heritage through an online learning and communication platform.

To mark the program's fifth anniversary, a webinar titled "The Rich Heritage of Armenian Holidays at the Lusik Aguletsi House-Museum" was held on March 2. During the webinar, participants explored traditional Armenian holidays such as St․ Sargis, Trndez, and Barekendan. Gayane Samvelyan, the director of the Lusik Aguletsi House-Museum, and a distinguished reciter, shared insights into the origins, traditions, and modern-day celebrations of these holidays.

The AVC Learning Zone program was launched in March 2020 in response to the call of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia to expand the opportunities for online education, as part of the holistic measures for COVID-19 prevention. The program became available on the AVC website in seven languages, allowing around 1,500 participants worldwide to explore Armenian historical and cultural heritage, engage in discussions, and connect with one another. 

Founding President of AVC and AGBU Vice President Dr. Yervant Zorian emphasized the platform's significance: “Over the past five years, AVC Learning Zone has played a crucial role in making our courses and historical-cultural multimedia content accessible not only to students but also to the general public. This is not only the mission of AVC but also that of the Armenian General Benevolent Union—to preserve and promote Armenian identity and heritage through educational and cultural programs.”
 

The AVC Learning Zone offers around 40 topics, including Armenian language, history, architecture, music, religion, cuisine, chess, and more. Most multimedia materials are extracted from AVC interactive e-books, online courses, and virtual tours of museums and historical-cultural sites.

As part of the program, regular webinars feature guest speakers who explore various topics related to Armenian culture, history, traditions, and holidays.

The AVC Learning Zone is a free program offered in seven languages: Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian, English, Russian, French, Spanish, and Turkish.

You can access the AVC Learning Zone by registering here.

Watch the video about the AVC Learning Zone program here. 

Watch the recording of the webinar "The Rich Heritage of Armenian Holidays at the Lusik Aguletsi House-Museum" here.