About the project

Abandoned and ruined churches, monasteries, dwelling caves from the Middle Ages, graveyards or prehistoric cult sites…Throughout remote areas in the South Caucasus one can find a large number of neglected cultural assets, that are in deep need of care and attention. Under the slogan “Crossing borders to save, preserve and care” this issue is currently addressed by the SOS Culture project which was launched in January 2012 by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC). 

With an overall duration of 24 months, the SOS Culture project is funded by the European Union within the framework of the Eastern Partnership Culture Program and is implemented by FPWC in cooperation with the dvv international – Georgia Country office and Research on Armenian Architecture Foundation. The overall EU contribution to SOS Culture project is 492,754 Euro.

The overall objective of the project is to register and preserve endangered cultural assets in the remote border regions of Armenia and Georgia with the involvement of local citizenry. Involvement of local communities will in its turn promote economic, social and cultural development in the areas, covered by the project. 

The approach of the SOS Culture project is rooted in the idea that well preserved and explored historic sites have a tremendous positive influence on the creation of an environment, which nurtures sustainable economic, social and human development in remote and impoverished regions, making those regions attractive for tourists. 

SOS Culture relies on the active involvement of youths (age 14 -23) from different national and ethnic origins living in the target areas of Armenia and Georgia. The young people participate in protection and research activities, implemented in the vicinity of their villages. These activities include cultural assets of different origins and religions, as well as pre-historic sites and medieval architectural monuments. By doing this, the project underlines that “Cultural assets belong to everybody”: regardless of nationality, religious faith or language, people living nearby a monument should care and preserve. This instils a new approach and knowledge about local cultural assets among the members of the youth clubs, established by FPWC and its Georgian project partner dvv international. Participating in the project activities, the members of the youth clubs support the cultural and touristic development of their regions. 

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Latest News

SOS Culture project trainer participated in the training course organized by GIZ

On May 16-18 German International Cooperation (GIZ) organized a training course on biodiversity in Stepanavan. It was designed for biology and ecology teachers as well as for facilitators who are involved in nonformal education and are interested in environment. SOS Culture project trainer Eva Harutyunyan also participated in the training course. She said that those three days were full of interesting information, games and of new educational methods. Organizers were encouraging the participan[more]


Trainings by Vanadzor Youth Bank

Vanadzor Youth Bank held trainings for SOS Culture youth clubs, which took place on 20.04.13 in Akhtala, on 22.04.13 in Alaverdi, on 29.04.2013 in Berdavan and on 21.05.2013 in Varagavan. The SOS Culture project in cooperation with Vanadzor Youth Bank organized trainings on the Project proposal writing, where young people of the local communities could learn about launching their own project. SOS culture youth club members have found out about the most important objectives of writing a proje[more]


SOS Culture at the Europe Day Celebration

On May 25th the European Delegation to Armenia invited everyone to celebrate Europe Day with various events that took place in Yerevan and other cities. Europe Day has been celebrated in Armenia since 2010. In the frame of the Europe Day the Round Table discussion with EU Member State Ambassadors took place which was a great opportunity to meet Ambassadors and have face-to-face conversations. Besides “My Scrapbook of Change” youth competition was organized to involve more young people who want t[more]


"Explore and Protect" – ​​International Day on Monuments and Sites in Tbilisi

Eleven o'clock in the morning of April 18... At "Freedom Square", "Rustaveli" and "Marjanishvili" subway stations young people in "SOS Culture" – t-shirts with smiling faces and booklets try to attract the attention of passersby. Today is the International Day on Monuments and Sites. On the initiative of German Adult Education Association - dvv international and with the support of the EU and leading tour operator “Georgian Wonders” educational event &q[more]


SOS Culture in the Center for Environmental Studies in Margahovit

On May 10, 16 and 26 the SOS Culture youth clubs members from Varagava, Berdavan, Alaverdi and Akhtala will visit the Michael and Virginia Ohanian Center for Environmental Studies in Margahovit, where Armenia Tree Project (ATP) provides classroom and hands-on environmental training and workshops for schoolchildren. In Margahovit Village, which is located in the Lori region of Armenia the Youth Club members will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of trees, the protection of wildl[more]