Nana Shakhnazaryan, a journalist interested in conflict studies, opens up about her very personal experiences in conversation with AI Director, Tatevik Ayvazyan. Escaping the pogroms in Baku left Nana’s family unable to settle in either Armenia or Moscow, and eventually ended up in New York. The pair discuss growing up Armenian in culturally diverse Brooklyn and Nana’s deep connection to Karabakh and Armenia, as well as the heartbreaking realities of discrimination both in Baku and Moscow, but also within Armenian communities.

Nana Shakhnazaryan is a researcher and writer working at the intersections of media literacy and conflict studies.

The Armenian Institute is a London based charity dedicated to making Armenian culture and history a lived experience through innovative programmes, educational resources, workshops, lectures, exhibits and performances. This year we present Zanazan: an umbrella title covering our upcoming media output, from online publications to podcast series.

Zanazan Sounds is a project that aims to explore shared histories, learn about contemporary Armenian worlds and create new ones. Zanazan (meaning “variety” in Armenian) is also the title of our latest online publication where photo essays, articles and poetry from around the world can be found.

We aim to publish 2-3 episodes a month, taking a different angle each week as we explore our three podcasting strands: Discover, Treasures From The Library and Uncover. You can follow our social media accounts for updates in between episodes.

To get involved with AI you can find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you’d like to reach out, or to discuss anything you’ve heard in this series, feel free to email us anytime at olivia@armenianinstitute.org.uk