100 Days after the ITP: Hayk Mkrtchyan (Senior Fellow 2017)
Written by Hayk Mkrtchyan (ITP 2014, Senior Fellow 2017)
Director, Association of Museum Workers and Friends / Secretary, ICOM MPR, Armenia
Dear Friends across the Globe,
Since I left London, this is my first blog about day-to-day work in my home country and my future plans. As always, I was busy with different workshops, seminars and events. One of the important events that I have initiated and implemented was a presentation about the study visit of 12 Armenian museum specialists to Berlin organised by the Museum Education Center, where I am Project Coordinator. The presentation aimed to share experiences from German museums about educational, learning programmes with colleagues from different museums. We thought that this would encourage others to join our yearly initiatives.
From November 6 – 8 I took part in capacity building training for NGOs in Armenia, led by a Ukrainian expert on fundraising, creative industries and management of organisations.
Together with ICOM Armenia, we organised a four-day regional workshop on Planning and Marketing Museum Education. We were delighted to meet our colleagues from Georgia and Iran as well. An old friend of mine from the UK, Carol Ann Scott, was one of the experts at the workshop.
An interesting initiative started while I was in London this summer. When we visited Horniman Museum and Gardens, I noticed that in the collection of musical instruments, at least one famous Armenian instrument was missing. That instrument is called Duduk. It is made from apricot wood and makes heartbreaking music. Just a couple of weeks ago, I met my colleague who brought me to a workshop of a Master of musical instruments and he agreed to donate one of his creations to the museum in London. This is a very important initiative which demonstrates the impact and broad legacy of the International Training Programme.
This is very brief but more information and news will follow soon.
Wishing my family in London (Claire, Becca and Jessica) all the best and all our fellows a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018.
Yours,
Senior Fellow 2017, ITP Fellow 2014
Hayk Mkrtchyan