A special podcast series featuring ordinary people walking through the streets of Armenia’s capital city Yerevan. This week’s host is Hovhannes Nazaretyan, a university student, activist and journalist.



Glossary of Terms



Marshutka: a form of public transportation used in Yerevan.



Silva Kaputikyan (1919-2006): Soviet Armenian poet and political activist. She was one of the leading intellectuals of the 1988 Karabakh Movement.



2004 protests: During the 2003 presidential election in Armenia, opposition candidate Stepan Demirchyan was defeated by Robert Kocharyan in a second round of voting. Following a year of tensions, protesters regrouped in April 2004 with the objective of forcing Kocharyan’s resignation. After several days of protests, police forcefully dispersed demonstrators using water cannons and stun grenades.



Passage of Nikol Pashinyan’s speech: “I will go, I will enter the area of the National Assembly to negotiate with the parliamentarians and political forces about overcoming the current political situation. And we will do it in an atmosphere of love and solidarity.



Istanbul Convention: Opened for signature on May 11 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence has led to divisions in Armenian society.



Pulpulak: a public water fountain.



Artur Vanetsyan: the current head of the National Security Service of Armenia.



Aram Khachaturyan (1903-1978): World famous Soviet Armenian composer. Author of the famous “Gayane” and “Spartacus” ballets, three symphonies, piano, violin and cello concertos, as well as many other musical compositions. Khachatryan’s house-museum is located in Yerevan, Armenia.



Music used in the podcast:

Aram Khachaturyan, “Sabre Dance” from the “Spartacus” ballet, performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker orchestra, conductor Simon Rattle.

Recorded and produced by Arpine Haroyan.