Last week Stepanavan was celebrating its N anniversary. Why N? It is officially considered that this town has started its history in the second half of the 19th century. However, what should be done with Saint Sargis Church located in the center of the town, which goes back to 12th century. For me, a person, who spent the 70s of the previous century (terrible to even think about) going sightseeing in summers and who’s been in love with the small town, 12th century is more preferable. But more seriously, I think we should leave this issue to scientists to discuss what there was 9 centuries ago. The church couldn’t possibly appear in the middle of the valley by accident. It’s not logical.
At present, the town still has pleasant look. After the earthquake during the post-soviet period a movie could have been filmed here . The residents are inclined to connect the positive changes of this town with the mayor, Sergey Karakeshishyan. Since the day of submission of his position Karakeshishyan undertook the initiative to recover the previous, beautiful look of his home town. During my recent visits to Stepanavan I was revealing new things. First the square was recovered and it stopped looking like a garbage space, next the public transportation was converted from chaotic to regular. Another improvement was the centennial town park, which has become the favorite leisure area for Stepanavan’s residents and others, who wish to spend their vacation not in Kopuletti or Anatolia. New soccer fields and hotels were built.
The establishment of brotherhood relationships with the French town Desin has become a great precedent for Stepanavan’s history. The exchange of delegations has become a common phenomenon here. And now, due to the celebration, French people arrived in Stepanavan and the French flags were waving next to the Armenian flags all over town. The fountains of the town were working due to the holiday, the new City Hall building was constructed and the local authorities will move from trailers and wagons (they have worked here since the earthquake) to new offices. There was also the traditional song and dance show, exhibitions of local painters’ paintings, a ranking of “Honorable Stepanavan Resident” was granted. Also, a medal was supposed to be granted to the Armenian Prime-Minister, Andranik Margaryan, however the Prime Minister’s heavy schedule slightly changed plans because Margaryan wasn’t able to make it…
What else? A theater is being created, better yet – restored. Sergey Karakeshishyan decided that it’s necessary. The people in Stepanavan, who know the stubbornness and enthusiasm of the mayor, are sure that there will be a theater. Chief film director Ernest Michaelyan is gathering a theater staff. “The performance list and the complication level will be selected based on the factor of who’s going to be in the staff,” he says. At present the recovering theater has too many issues. It’s easier to say what it has. Besides enthusiasm and lack of budget funding there seems like nothing else exists and perhaps the organizers will hardly reject the support of other theaters, of course if they offer. They also have a hope to receive support from the French friends in Desin, who are also interested in the creation of the theater. The establishment of a theater for a small town can be considered a valuable achievement. This have a special leisure venue. This theater may not give birth to new Jigarkhanyans and Mkrtchyans would be a great place for the young people to gather because at present they don’t, but it can definitely raise the number of people interested in art.
Every holiday ends and life goes on. The holiday is reminded by the waving Armenian and French flags. However, one unexpected incident didn’t let the Stepanavan residents go back to their ordinary lives. The local authorities are looking for a refugee, who fled Uzbekistan – perhaps a terrorist or a serial killer. His photo-robot was shown there, there were no classes in one of the schools because of the announcement. Later the authorities announced that there was no need to panic and that nobody had ever arrived from Uzbekistan. It’s good news. However it would be better to find out the real age of the town rather than chase a “bandit”.