Fifteen years ago, on October 16, 2010, the “TaTever” ropeway was inaugurated as part of the “Tatev Revival” program.

Reflecting on the initiative in an interview with Mediamax in December 2023, Veronika Zonabend, wife of social entrepreneur Ruben Vardanyan, noted in particular:

“It is aimed at reviving Syunik, creating a point of attraction for residents of Armenia and foreign tourists. The result has been a 17-fold increase in the annual tourist flow to the region since 2010, the economy has revived, and social and cultural life has intensified. At the same time, the ancient monastery, which was also the largest university in the region during the Middle Ages, is a symbol of spirituality and enlightenment. It is here, according to Ruben, that the spiritual revival of Armenia and the Armenian world will begin.”

On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the “TaTever” ropeway, Mediamax spoke with former Prime Minister of Armenia, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank, Tigran Sargsyan.

– Mr. Sargsyan, the Tatev ropeway was, in fact, the first large-scale example of a public-private partnership in Armenia.

– The construction of the Tatev ropeway was of great significance for the Republic of Armenia. 

The project required substantial investment and therefore became the subject of numerous meetings and discussions between the President of the Republic, the government, Ruben Vardanyan, and his partners.

As a result, within the framework of a public-private partnership, the government allocated significant financial resources for the development of the necessary infrastructure.

– Can we say that the Tatev ropeway “paved the way” for other ambitious initiatives, in particular the UWC Dilijan College?

– Yes, that project was also implemented in close cooperation with the state. The government, in particular, introduced a legislative initiative to grant tax privileges to support the program.

Let me remind you that during the tenure of Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, the National Competitiveness Council was established at the initiative of Ruben Vardanyan. It was designed to serve as a coordinating body for public-private cooperation. The Council was chaired by the Prime Minister and included members of the government, as well as Ruben Vardanyan, Noubar Afeyan, Andre Andonian, Avetik Chalabyan, Gor Nahapetyan, and others.

Within this framework, we discussed a range of ideas and initiatives aimed at Armenia’s development - one of which was the creation of an international school in Dilijan.