SHORT SUMMARY

The question "Who am I?" becomes critical one day, regardless of age. Our project is for aged 10-14 to discover their roots and document them. The "Root and Shoot" writing contest simultaneously develops research, analytical, and critical skills, which are essential for life.

IMPACT

The project has been running since the 2022. We have had participants from Yerevan and marzes, forcibly displaced from Artsakh, diaspora and ethnic minorities --Yezidi. The project has a big positive impact because, during their research, participants first learn about their roots and family stories as well as the history, geography, culture of their country and daily life of their people. During the last three years, we have had more than a hundred participants. A collection of the best works from the first year (2023) has been published.

PROBLEM

Living in a global age, we often forget about our roots, which creates the danger of assimilation and loss of identity. The project is designed to generate interest among students in discovering their identity and the history of their homeland, thus becoming knowledgeable about their country and take responsibility for national heritage.

SOLUTION

Guiding students to explore their roots. It prevents them from drifting away from and losing their roots as well as saving their family stories.

TEAM

Ani Manukyan – Project author, organizer, linguist, Ph.D. in Pedagogy, translator, writer.

Tehminé Martoyan – PhD in History, Senior Researcher at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

Elina Mirzoyan – PhD in Philology, Researcher at the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, Professor at Yerevan State University (YSU).

Taguhi Papyan – History teacher at Bagramyan village school, Armavir marz.

Veronika Badalyan – History teacher at School No. 194, Yerevan.

BUDGET

See the link to the budget: budgetTemplate.xlsx - Google Sheets

FAQ

1. Who can participate?

Answer: 10-14 aged participants from the Republic of Armenia and the Diaspora.

2.Are the works carried out individually or in groups?

Answer: Individually as each student studies their own roots.

3.What are the main stages of the project?

PHASE 1. Program announcement; Visits to schools---January

PHASE 2. 12 capacity building online courses once a week frequency-February–April

PHASE 3. Meetings with experts (four experts—historians, writers, researchers who have achieved success in their field), who guide students on how to formulate the information they have collected--May

PHASE 4. Award ceremony--June–July

PHASE 5. Post-program work: Preparing the "Root and Shoot" creative competition collection for publication.