My Impact
02.12.2021
Impact Maker
Georgi Kevorkov: Armenian Global Community
-webp(85)-o(jpg).webp?token=fc78d6de16d0dd2c5165be86bc20e2d6 "Georgi Kevorkov: Armenian Global Community")
Elena Kozhemyakina (Germaniqa) conducted this interview with Georgi Kevorkov in September of 2021 in Yerevan. Georgi lives in Minsk and is an active member of the Armenian community in Belarus. He is also actively involved in the pan-Armenian agenda. Georgi is a blogger, internet marketer, and author of portals about Armenia. Many people know him through the Armenian Global Community.
Reputation: past or present?
Reputation is the most important capital. I never work on my reputation and always remain myself. I do not believe in gossips, and I try to directly ask a person if they are stuck in "gossip" and do not give a refutation.
Armenia: a successful brand or unsuccessful influencers?
We should fix it. We have a lot of problems, and we do not know ourselves.
Hospitality and comfort are our trends. We should not only beautifully present our antiquity but also be able to explain it.
Sometimes, mono-nationality ruins us. We should appreciate the contribution of expats to Armenia.
The feeling of being: an Armenian expat in Belarus or a Diasporan?
Expat - definitely not. Diaspora is an understanding relevant in the period when there was no state during the genocide. Today, you are either interested in Armenia or not.
Armenian Global Community: has the goal been reached?
Ideally, we wanted globality - not only in the name but in a mass product. We created a VKontakte group in 2013, then a website was born and a Facebook page, but as a result, the main activity is now in Telegram. Initially, there were no interesting facts about Armenia in the Russian-language content, only gossips, rumors, scandals.
We wanted to have unique publications instead of being a news cluster. We wanted to highlight positive news out of general negativity. Later, the Armenian Positive News project was born.
Unfortunately, people want more cruelty and tragedy-type content.
Armenian stereotype, which one needs to be changed?
Armenian stereotype, which one needs to be changed?
We produced too many stereotypes. The first Christians, the most ancient nation, and so on. It is self-deception to exalt ourselves. It develops an inferiority complex.
We must become more educated. Education is the key to all doors.
When a taxi driver cancels your order, you cannot hide behind the phrase that we are the first Christians.
Media: content choice or opinion leader?
When we started, we were already sick of complementarity towards the Armenians: the most ancient, the most-most. I wanted to produce unique content that could be interesting for non-Armenians too.
If I leaf through the Armenian media about Armenia, I open News Armenia, Mediamax, Radio Liberty.
I think we have initially had different tasks with the media. We want to show another image of Armenia.
Made in Armenia: a reason to buy or be proud?
It depends on the product. Pride - no, joy - maybe. A can of caviar or cognac is one thing, and a unique product is another.
I would say that this is a reason to support it. I always bring dried fruits and cheese from Armenia. I used to take eight bottles of wine, now only new items, mulberry vodka.
Ruben Vardanyan: an unofficial page or a thoughtful PR?
The page was born five years ago after the apathy of the April events.
I saw a solution to the issue that Ruben could do something, lead the state. I received the feedback the next day from his team - they asked to close it. He refused.
One and a half years after the launch, we met for the first time. I believe that Ruben's projects fit into the positive agenda of my publications. For me, he is still relevant for the position of head of state. Unfortunately, this is irrelevant for him.
Artsakh: a brand of memory or a new starting point?
Earlier, it seemed that everyone in Armenia knew what Artsakh was.
Now, I understand that practically no one knows what it is. It is the homeland of my ancestors - Mkhitarashen.
What to pick up from Artsakh? Emotions. You do not need to take anything from Armenia - you need to bring yourself. Everything possible has already been taken out.
Turk/Azerbaijani: enemy or who?
It depends on a person. Although my parents fled from Baku and, in principle, had the right to live in a similar paradigm, they did not raise me in hatred: they knew that people are different. So far, I have never had any positive communication experience with these people, and any dialogues would end in tension even before the war.
Three key topics at the table of Armenians?
Artsakh. Government. Genocide. I will add corruption. It depends on the people.
It is a sore one, partly virologists, sofa critics, but including those who care.
I would change the topics, which are destroying us.
The topics are Education, IT, and politics. Unfortunately, we cannot help but be interested in politics. We are not as happy as the Scandinavians not to discuss politics.
Victim complex: is overcome or still developing?
Our generation experiences this complex differently. If you want to know about it, go to the museum, let it be a shock, but at least on the facts.
I would like us not to remember the genocide exclusively on April 24, to do without ostentatious tears. This date is already too publicized.
The best we can do is prove that these people have failed: to create and support good projects.
How? Pay for a talented child to study at Harvard, give those in need, if not $ 100, then at least $ 1, but not whine.
Photos Areg Balayan
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