{"id":21,"date":"2020-03-20T23:42:59","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T23:42:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bsun2020.aua.am\/?page_id=21"},"modified":"2021-08-30T11:47:24","modified_gmt":"2021-08-30T11:47:24","slug":"host-country","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bsun2021.aua.am\/host-country\/","title":{"rendered":"Host Country"},"content":{"rendered":"
Armenia is an ancient country bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran to the south. With an around five thousand year\u00a0 history, Armenia is considered <\/span>one of the world\u2019s oldest cradles of civilization<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Armenian culture and traditions<\/b> range from literature, folk dances and music, to vibrant art and delicious cuisine. The Armenian nation was the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 AD. Tradition has it that the Armenian Church was founded by two of Jesus’ twelve apostles \u2013 Thaddaeus and Bartholomew. Thus, its official name is Armenian Apostolic Church. The religion and <\/span>the unique Armenian language<\/span><\/a> have been the bonds uniting the nation within the territory of the country and beyond its physical borders through centuries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Armenia is considered to be a museum under the open sky. Old monasteries and historical monuments are great site-seeing locations from north to south and from west to east.<\/span><\/p>\n Armenians are fond of feasts and celebrations \u2013 the time for socializing and enjoying tasty food. Traditional Armenian dishes include <\/span>khorovats <\/span><\/i>(BBQ), dolma (stuffed grape leaves, cabbage leaves, or vegetables), <\/span>khash<\/span><\/i> (boiled cow or sheep parts), <\/span>ghapama<\/span><\/i> (pumpkin dish stuffed with boiled rice, dried fruits, and honey), and <\/span>harissa <\/span><\/i>(Armenian porridge made from coarsely-ground wheat and meat). These dishes are usually accompanied by Armenian wine and brandy. However, the two irreplaceable components of the Armenian cuisine are <\/span>lavash<\/span><\/i> (the traditional Armenian flatbread, which was included on <\/span>the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity<\/span><\/a> in 2014), and one of the most beloved Armenian desserts, <\/span>gata, <\/span><\/i>also called sweet bread.<\/span><\/p>\n Education in Armenia<\/b> has its roots back to medieval times. The first universities were founded in Ani, Tatev, and Gladzor, thereby becoming important centers of enlightenment and development of science and arts. Today, Armenia is recognized as <\/span>the world\u2019s next tech hub<\/span><\/a>, not only for the growing tech sector and the rapidly evolving startup industry, but also for the country\u2019s efforts to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education. To train the minds of youth, Armenia became the first country in the world to make chess a compulsory subject in all secondary schools.<\/span><\/p>\n Armenia is one of the world\u2019s safest countries.<\/b> According to Gallup International\u2019s <\/span>2019 Global Law and Order report<\/span><\/a>, Armenia is the 7th among the world\u2019s safest countries; suffice it to say that 89% of adult Armenians claim that they feel safe and secure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n