Speakers:
Caitlin Curtis Whitaker, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Parkside, ARISC Fellow
Gohar Hovakimyan, Director of Projects, Armenian Heritage Development Foundation (AHDF), ARISC Fellow
Date & Time: Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 7pm Yerevan time, 11am US EDT
Through collaboration between the Armenian Heritage Development Foundation and the Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project, this talk presents an educational outreach program for Armenian kids focused on the full life cycle of archaeological artifacts. During the past three seasons, seventy children aged 7 to 15 have engaged in hands-on heritage work at the Vedi Fortress excavation and the National Gallery of Armenia in Yerevan. Over the course of four days, each group excavates on-site, conducts lab work, restores their finds, and creates an actual public museum exhibit. Through this outreach program, the Fellows aim to demystify archaeological heritage and its presentation to provide a foundation to support the public’s involvement in Armenian heritage preservation.
Caitlin Whitaker is a heritage specialist who focuses on community engagement and public outreach. She co-developed “From the Field to the Museum” with AHDF as Education Program lead for the Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP), a role she has served since 2018. Her research focuses on communities connected with archaeological sites in Turkey and Armenia. Along with her students, she also pursues community-based mapping projects that serve nonprofit organizations around southeast Wisconsin. She is an associate professor of Geography and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
Gohar Hovakimyan serves as the Director of Projects for the Armenian Heritage Development Foundation (AHDF). She has been a key partner from AHDF in organizing and running all aspects of the “From the Field to the Museum” program since 2022. In addition to an educational background in pedagogy, she has nearly 20 years of experience in the field of cultural heritage management in both Italy and Armenia. She was also instrumental in coordinating with the World Bank to implement the tourism development plan at the Haghpat, Sanahin, and Geghard UNESCO sites in Armenia.
Funding for this project comes from the ARISC Collaborative Heritage Management Grant in Armenia, funded by private donations. The lectures are free and open to the public. Learn more at www.arisc.org
*ARISC does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, education, age, income, socio-economic status, or status as a covered veteran.