Raw & Unfiltered

Armenia is developing policies to inventory, preserve, restore and promote historical monuments, recognizing their economic and cultural value. While progress aligns with sustainable development goals, significant challenges in preservation and management persist.

Rafayel Israelyan, one of the most prolific architects of the Armenian world, left an enduring mark on Armenia’s architectural landscape with his visionary designs that included memorials, fountains, bridges, churches, government buildings, and more. Despite his remarkable contributions, his legacy is underappreciated.

Embarking on a journey through Armenia, Daniel Tahmazyan blends personal reflections with historical and cultural insights. From sacred monasteries to forgotten villages, he explores the rugged beauty, spiritual depth, and enduring connection to homeland.

At Dubai Airport, a Yerevan-bound flight boards beside one for Baku. Karena Avedissian writes about how an outburst from a fellow Armenian traveler reflects the lingering trauma of war and ethnic cleansing.

Armenia’s conservation success story has led to an unexpected challenge: a growing human-bear conflict. As rangers work to protect the rare Bezoar goats in the Arpa Protected Landscape, the return of brown bears is testing the fragile balance between wildlife and local communities.

In Armenia's agricultural sector, women take on a more prominent role than men. During the hot summer months, women’s work groups move from region to region, laboring in vast fields from dawn. Their work not only supports their families but also sustains the country’s agricultural resilience.

Every administration in Armenia since independence has implemented policies aimed at encouraging repatriation, but how successful have they been? Gohar Abrahamyan explains.

While gastronomic tourism has increased, as well as the number of young, local chefs willing to experiment, Yerevan's evolving restaurant industry is experiencing growing pains.

“I set out in search of a great love story that never ended, but perhaps I discovered a story that never truly began,” writes Ella Kanegarian-Berberian, in this poignant story about two artists separated by circumstance and war.

Armenia faces a cancer crisis driven by lifestyle factors and systemic issues in the healthcare system. Despite advancements, cancer rates have tripled since 1999, highlighting the urgent need for improved screening, treatment access and government funding.