From April 3 to 13, 2025, the Hovhannes Sharambeyan Museum of Folk Arts was on a working visit to Beirut, where it carried out educational programs and awarded the title of “Folk Master” to the first recipient from the Armenian Diaspora.
At the invitation of Haigazian University, the Museum implemented educational programs in Beirut for the fourth time. Gayane Aslanyan, Deputy Director for Development, and woodcarving master Vahe Mnatsakanyan visited Beirut to lead the activities. As part of the Museum’s educational platform, artistic woodcarving workshops were held for students of Armenian schools in Beirut. It is worth mentioning that in previous years, the programs focused on Armenian carpet weaving and blacksmithing.
The first master from the Diaspora to be awarded the “Folk Master” certificate is 94-year-old Zaven Gazandjian. The awarding process was recently updated, allowing masters not only from Armenia but also from the Diaspora to apply. Remarkably, Mr. Gazandjian is a third-generation representative of a coppersmithing family. He also donated to the Museum a copper tray crafted by his grandfather Hovhannes Gazandjian in Urfa, dated 1905.
The Museum extends its gratitude to Mr. Gazandjian and to Dr. Andranik Dakessian, Director of the Armenian Diaspora Research Center at Haigazian University.