7 May 2015
AGBU ARMENIAN VIRTUAL COLLEGE DEBUTS NEW INTERACTIVE E-BOOK AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF YEREVAN
EXPLORING YEREVAN: A LOOK INSIDE THE CITY’S PAST AND PRESENT PRESENTED AT GLOBAL FORUM IN YEREVAN
As part of the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) 88th General Assembly, AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC), in collaboration with the Municipality of Yerevan, organized a global forum to launch its latest interactive e-book Exploring Yerevan: A Look Inside the City’s Past and Present.
Held in the Main Hall of the Municipality of Yerevan, the global forum drew over 150 members of the Armenian diaspora who were in Yerevan for the General Assembly, along with representatives of diplomatic agencies, local and international organizations operating in Armenia and other high-level officials from the economic, educational and cultural spheres.
The e-book is the newest addition to AVC’s pioneering multimedia e-book series and is designed to offer historical, social and demographic information to readers interested in visiting Yerevan or learning about the city. The e-book offers a variety of information, ranging from city tours and hikes to cultural and social events. Videos, interactive maps, virtual visits, picture galleries, 3D and panoramic images and puzzles are used to introduce readers to the city and its surrounding areas.
The English version of the e-book was debuted during the forum and will be followed by Eastern Armenian, Western Armenian, Russian, French, Spanish and Turkish translations. All books will soon be available for free download and online browsing on computers and mobile devices through the Apple iBook store, the AVC website and AGBU online bookstore.
During the global forum, Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan stressed the importance of the collaboration between the Municipality of Yerevan and AVC in encouraging the success of similar initiatives: “Thanks to the incorporation of modern technologies, our 2796-year-old capital can now be presented to the world as an attractive touristic destination.” Margaryan was awarded an AGBU Gold Medal for his work in fostering the collaboration between AVC and the Municipality of Yerevan. In return, Margaryan presented AGBU President Berge Setrakian with a souvenir bearing the coat of arms of Yerevan.
AGBU Central Board member Dr. Yervant Zorian, AVC founder and president, echoed the mayor’s sentiments: “With a groundbreaking presentation and a fresh wave of information, the Exploring Yerevan e-book is a perfect resource for anyone who wants to make the most out of their visit to Yerevan and learn about one of the oldest cities in the world. I am sure this book will acquire a broad readership and will contribute to making Yerevan one of the best touristic destinations in the world.”
A number of AVC partners, international liaisons and learners from Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Portugal and Turkey, among others, joined the global forum in person and online to praise AVC’s use of modern technology in the development of Armenian studies and in the education of younger generations living far from large Armenian communities. “Armenian Studies has lagged behind in using technology and AVC covers this major gap,” said Dr. Razmik Panossian, director of the Armenian Communities Department at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
AVC projects are ushering in a new age for AGBU: “The launch of the e-Book series marks AVC’s expansion in a new and exciting direction. AGBU’s educational mission, too, has evolved,” said Natalie Gabrelian, director of Scholarships and Alternative Education. “Redefining its role in education with a new focus on offering e-learning alternatives as well as enhancing the traditional learning environment, AGBU is transforming its presence online into a leading Armenian virtual learning resource center, delivering innovative multimedia educational tools to foster and promote the learning of Armenian language, history and culture.”
For more information on Armenian Virtual College and the AVC e-book series, please visit https://www.avc-agbu.org/en.html.
To watch a recording of the livestream broadcast of the global forum, please visit https://www.avc-agbu.org/en/show_media/videos/N491.html.
Established in 1906, AGBU is the world’s largest non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually reaching some 500,000 Armenians around the world. For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit www.agbu.org.
