An unexpected VHS in a Toronto basement leads to finding a branch of the family that has been lost for 60 years, and uncovering the last Armenian village still surviving in Turkey. A multi-generational story told by producer Nyree Abrahamian.

Support the show

Our podcast tells the stories of how Armenia is changing, but in this episode, we sat down to talk about how Armenia has changed each of us.

Plus we have an announcement: We just launched a crowdfunding campaign for our second season! If you've enjoyed listening to our podcast so far, we'd really appreciate your support to keep making it happen. You can donate here:

igg.me/at/countryofdust

Support the show

Gayane Milonyan, a mother of two, has just been forced to flee her home in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), along with over 100,000 people – the entire indigenous Armenian population left in the region after the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. We spoke to Gayane a day after her arrival in Armenia about what she lost, what she survived, and how she survived it.

Photo by Nanna Heitmann.

Content warning: this episode contains descriptions of violence.

If you’re looking for a place to donate to help alleviate the refugee crisis, here are some organizations that are working on the ground:

All for Armenia
https://allforarmenia.org/

World Central Kitchen
https://donate.wck.org/give/522197/

Kooyrigs
https://kooyrigs.org/

AGBU
https://agbu.org/

Support the show

Wine has been part of Armenia’s story since the beginning, and it can be a bridge from its ancient history, to the Soviet era, to today. In our final episode of the season, we talk to Mariam Saghatelyan, co-owner of In Vino wine bar, about the resurgence of wine culture in Armenia. And we delve into the unexpected ways that uncorking a bottle of wine can connect you to the pulse of the country.

Support the show

After the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine, Armenia woke up with thousands of Russians moving here – escaping the draft, political crackdowns and economic uncertainty. Many of them were young creatives, a few dozen of whom ended up staying at an old Soviet factory in a small town in northern Armenia. We spoke to Arseniy Zykhowski and Lisa Khoreva, two artists living there, about their journey to Armenia, the unlikely corner of the country they ended up in, and how it’s been going.

Support the show

Ara Aslanyan designed one of the most iconic symbols of Armenia’s 2018 revolution - the dukhov hat. But he says he never cared about the movement, that he only wanted to make a successful design. When we spoke in 2022 he said, “I’m really out of politics. But if you need some services, as a professional, I'm there.” How did someone so apolitical end up creating the emblem of a revolution?

Support the show

Mane Gevorgyan was Nikol Pashinyan’s press secretary during the most turbulent period of his premiership. She entered as part of a rockstar government, but after the war, she had to deal with all the frustration and anger directed at the administration. Mane’s story offers a glimpse into the complexities of post-war Armenia.

Support the show

The nation’s hopes rose with the 2018 Velvet Revolution, then came crashing down during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War. Ruben Malayan is a calligrapher who not only lived through these ups and downs but, through his art, helped shape them.

Support the show