Charentsavan Youth at the Civilitas Foundation

With support from the US Embassy in Armenia, the Civilitas Foundation is working to turn libraries into centers of civil society by renovating four libraries in the Armenian provinces. Civilitas will provide new books and technological equipment to these and another six libraries so that they will serve as gathering places for cultural events and discussions.

The Charentsavan Municipal Library, about a 45 minute drive from Yerevan, is one of the four libraries to be renovated. Civilitas donated books it collected from various Armenian businesses during the Christmas holidays through its Angel Tree Project. Civilitas was invited to attend a performance at the Charentsavan Municipal Library presented by a group of college students. The students are working towards making the space into more than just a library, but also a gathering place to celebrate and share their different interests.

Salpi Ghazarian, a former librarian and now director of the Civilitas Foundation, said, “Any librarian anywhere in the world would be proud to have attracted teenagers and college students to a library. When young people become integrated into a library and seek its resources and use it as a center for cultural, social interaction, discussions and activities, then the library truly is a center of civil society. Armenia’s libraries have been largely unsupported and generally unattended these 20 years. So, witnessing the community’s use and support of their local library makes on realize how much more can be done. We’re looking for additional support in the form of books and equipment for these libraries.”

The Charentsavan students attend college in Yerevan and take public transportation in and out of the city each day, but due to various constraints they are not able to enjoy the cultural events the city has to offer in the evenings. To encourage the students and broaden their cultural experience, the Civilitas Foundation hosted a pizza night for the students in Yerevan and invited them to attend a play of their choice. The students chose Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at the Ghaplanian Dramatic Theater.

Charentsavan Librarian Anahit Khachoyan is committed to continuing to work with her community to offer the citizens of this former industrial town a refuge and haven. Civilitas is committed to supporting her work. Partners are welcome.