MitOst festival puts Vanadzor on the map

By Jan Limburski

“I am Vanadzorian,” said Yana Mkrtchyan, CEO of EcoHub, an Armenia-based NGO and the main organiser of the MitOst Festival that took place in Vanadzor before closing out in Yerevan on September 19. Participants from over 16 countries came to the post-industrial city to exchange ideas, network, take part in workshops and learn about Armenia. For many, this was their first visit to the country and the atmosphere was filled with curiosity and excitement. For Vanadzor, with a population of 75,000, the event brought opportunities for global exposure, visibility and hope for future international collaborations.

The festival is a yearly event organised by the members of MitOst and its partner institutions. The organisation’s mission is promotion of cultural exchange and civic engagement in Eastern Europe and its surrounding regions. 

Democratic Resilience

“As a participant of the festival, you are invited to submit your proposal [...], whether it's something that is your hobby you want to teach others, or it's  research findings that you want to share,” explained Diana Chobanyan from Vanadzor-based EcoHub.

The theme of this year’s edition of the festival is “Democratic Resilience in Practice: Civil Society Between Transformation and Uncertainty.” Looking at Eastern Europe and its periphery globally and Armenia locally, the festival highlighted the need for discussion and cultivation of bottom-up initiatives for the preservation and promotion of democracy. “We live in a very turbulent, chaotic, difficult, dangerous region and it's not always easy,” said Diana Chobanyan about the meaning of democracy in the South Caucasus.

“[Democratic resilience] is about the ability or capacity of people, citizens of Armenia, to hold our government accountable, even in times of crisis,” said Grigor Yeritsyan, President of Armenian Progressive Youth. The festival addressed the themes of democracy from the perspectives at the core of MitOst’s values: grassroots, citizen-led and decentralised. Alongside this, the festival celebrated Armenia’s collaboration and alignment with Europe.

“Democracy is a verb, you do something, right? And the question is, what we as citizens can do for a liberal society,” said Annegret Wulff, Managing Director of Commit and MitOst board member.

German Initiatives for Strengthening Civil Society in Armenia

Founded in Germany in 1996, MitOst focuses on “social change, cultural exchange, active citizenship, social cohesion, and sustainable urban and rural development.” MitOst - from German “With East” - centres on Eastern Europe and the neighbouring regions. Its activities aim to create cross-border connections of like minded individuals devoted to bringing about civic engagement. MitOst connects members from over 40 countries - spanning, among others, Germany, Ukraine, Armenia and Egypt - as the participation in the network is individual rather than institutional.

Yana Mkrtchyan, the organiser of the 2026 festival, herself began by participating in the network’s activities. “I was just an active citizen who participated in civil society training. Then I became a member of the MitOst Association. We implemented local projects here in Armenia and we established the EcoHub Foundation together,” said Yana.

The festival, as well as other MitOst activities in Armenia, are supported by theGerman Government. 

According to programme director of Germany-based GIZ, Thomas Meyer, one of the challenges that Armenia faces is the dissolution of USAID, which historically has been one of the biggest funding sources for Armenia’s civil society. Through initiatives like MitOst, the German development funds are stepping in to fill this void, at least partially.

“We try to work, in all of our programs, with communities and with the members of the communities, because development takes place not only in the state institutions, but in the regions and in each community,” said Katrin Buder-Pelz, the Head of German Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Armenia. 

Vanadzor in the Spotlight

“We oppose this idea of ‘Armenia is Yerevan,’” said Diana Chobanyan. MitOst Festival put Vanadzor in the centre of attention to show that there is life outside of Yerevan. EcoHub, for example, has been implementing projects in Lori Province, trying to activate civil society in the region. “I really try to bring big events [...] out of the capital,” said Yana Mkrtchyan. According to Arsen Gharibyan, the deputy governor of Lori Province, events such as MitOst festival provide an opportunity to “establish our region as a significant cultural hub.” 

The festival is an opportunity to offer international attention to a city that even to many Armenians is only a drive-through town. 

“The potential, I think, is even bigger for the future. We have to see how we can further help Armenia's economic and social development. It goes hand in hand,” commented Vassilis Maragos, European Union’s Ambassador to Armenia. The atmosphere of the MitOst Festival in Vanadzor made it clear that the wish for cooperation from the Armenian side was reciprocated. However, with the ideas of transformation and uncertainty marking the festival’s theme, some, like Grigor Yeritsyan, remain wary: “I think we have a very short window of opportunity now to show that Armenia is capable, that it can be a good partner, it can go hand in hand with other democracies [...] but I believe it's not a long window.”