Amulsar Gold Mine Trains Local Residents in Armenia for Heavy Equipment Jobs

The first group of heavy equipment operators trained ahead of the planned operation of Armenia’s Amulsar gold mine has completed the program and received internationally recognized certificates, Lydian Armenia said.

The operators, all residents of communities surrounding the Amulsar mine in southern Armenia, range in age from 29 to 52. The program is designed to prepare local workers for jobs in the mining industry while providing qualifications that can also be used outside Armenia.

Hayk Aloyan, founder and managing director of Lydian Armenia, said the certification gives graduates the opportunity to seek employment at mines in Armenia and abroad, including with major international mining companies.

At a ceremony for the completion of the training, Aloyan told participants that workplace safety must remain their priority.

“Please always keep safety in mind. Your safety is our highest priority. I hope that your example will inspire others to join and complete this training program,” Aloyan said.

The training focused on three areas: technical knowledge, practical skills and professional conduct. Lydian Armenia highlighted the participation of workers across a broad age range, including a 52-year-old graduate who completed the program as part of a career development opportunity.

The program is being carried out by Mota-Engil, an international engineering and construction company working with Lydian Armenia on the Amulsar project.

Lydian Armenia said additional training programs are planned as preparations for the mine continue, with a focus on developing a locally based workforce that meets international mining standards.

The Amulsar gold mine is located in Armenia’s Vayots Dzor region, near the resort town of Jermuk. The long-delayed project has been the subject of years of debate in Armenia over its potential economic benefits and environmental impact.

Yerevan to Host Armenia’s First Concert in Total Darkness — Audience Members Will See Nothing 

A concert where the audience will see nothing — not the stage, the musicians or even the person beside them — will be held in Yerevan this month as part of an effort to turn inclusion into a lived experience.

The “Concert in Total Darkness,” being staged in Armenia for the first time, will take place Aug. 26 during the 13th Fresco International Festival.

Audience members will enter a completely darkened space with no screens, stage lights or other visual cues. People with visual impairments will guide them through the venue, reversing the way public spaces are usually experienced.

Organizers say the idea is to place sighted visitors in an unfamiliar environment where they must rely on sound, touch and the help of others to move safely.

“Inclusion is one of the key missions of the Fresco Festival, and this project provides an opportunity to turn that idea into a direct experience,” festival artistic director Anna Karapetyan said.

She said the setting is intended to help participants think more closely about accessibility and the challenges people with visual impairments face in spaces designed largely for the sighted.

The darkness will also shape the performance itself. The audience will not be told who is playing and will not see the musicians until the lights are turned on at the end of the concert.

By removing the performers’ appearance, stage design and lighting from the experience, organizers want listeners to focus entirely on the music.

The event is organized by the Special Creative Center for Children, a state nonprofit organization, with support from Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Hall of the Union of Architects, 17 Baghramyan Ave. in Yerevan. Admission is free.

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