Armenian values and mentality
This is an overarching theme that Armenian futurespotters agreed lies at the core of most challenges we’ve identified, independent of specific topics.
- How can I change hierarchical structures in Armenia into more horizontal structures? (@Vahagn)
- How to instill values like freedom, responsibility, solidarity in individuals? (@Lurglomond)
- How to help people get to know their rights and get others to respect them? (@Lili) eg pregnant woman can't be fired due to her pregnancy; right to freedom of speech; -rights of minorities
A sense of agency is a recurring issue: they want a revolution but think someone else will do it. “Getting your hands dirty is hard”: 80 years of communism meant you do whatever you do, not for any other reason. ‘this is not in my contract, you have to ask my boss’. Individual participation is often banned by the fear of responsibility, what if I do it and it fails. The idea that problem-solving is someone else’s responsibility is rooted in education, examples, mentality, opportunities.
The value of work: creating more productivity in rural areas
- Can we help people in need without government assistance and with fewer resources? Should we? Do they want to be helped? (@karen.harutyunyan)
Immediately the response in the room was: ”What is the meaning of “help? Some people don’t want to work more”. It seems peasants/farmers need money to plant something, so in order to do so they would need to take high-risk, high-interest loans – which are not being granted to them
One question that we’ve been asking is why do young men in rural communities say no when offered construction work that pays? Where do they get the money to live well? Obviously getting to more land being worked has to do with incentives: welfare is 30000 dram per month, not as much as the minimum salary; People are living on transfers (remittances) coming from labor migrants, so if you know if you can travel to Russia and earn more, why would you take lower paying work in your village -> because of this in many rural communities there are only women left, so who should do the work?!
The value of emancipation and self-respect among women
Lack of culture: violence against women in Armenia is reflected in tv soap operas etc.
Dome court cases against abusive husbands do happen, but also many times women refuse to press charges and the authority decides not to put pressure on this -> making the ideal of family a priority that comes before women safety
Resources:
What are women support centres doing already that we can piggyback on?
@Arpine's project to empower women with disadvantaged background (needs a separate post + link! :))
The value of a healthy lifestyle
- How to inspire people and promote good habits? (George)
While yoga and cycling are spreading fast in Armenia, other physical activities (eg jogging) not so much. One point that was made is that we need to convince people to take up sports and that they can do so without spending too much money.
The value of culture: art and music for social change
- How can art help to solve problems, from the personal to the social and global? (@Seg)
- How can I share music from different countries without money – performing in festivals etc.? (@Tigran)
The need was mentioned to promote classical and alternative culture
Resources:
-is there a possibility to set up a community radio that is trendy and cool, yet highly dedicated to educating & creating social change ? Talk to @Heather Y about this, she has experiences with community radios in Africa.
The value of caring for the environment
- How to make people understand the planet and the nature?
What initiatives are making step in this direction?
Mashtotz Park movement:
Save Theghut
Make it easier for Armenians to do work they love
- How can I help inspire people to do work that they care about and live a purposeful and fulfilling life? (Alessandro)
Instead of doing work for salary do it for resonance
Resources:
in India – SelfHelp groups : 3-12 people, women from rural villages. Each makes voluntary contribution to a collective fund and they vote where money goes.
In Armenia: The Awesome Foundation – finances crazy ideas that can’t get funded http://www.awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/yerevan/
Food production and food for all
- There's enough food for everyone and yet some people are hungry. How can we learn to calculate our food production and get better at consumption? (George)
Some resources:
In Yerevan: Arpine and her colleagues are creating an orchard/vegetable garden in front of their office
In Germany: project with shops where someone is responsible for agreeing with them and collecting expired food, then distributing it to a list of consumers.
TEDx kids planting seeds in their blocks’ gardens
In Greece: food collecting initiative
The Honey Festival (link?)
