In spring 2022, Mediamax wrote about the online M.A.M. platform designed to teach Armenian language and history. Today, it has evolved into an educational movement involving students from virtually all over the world.

In addition to online language courses for children and adults with varying levels of language proficiency, in October 2025, M.A.M. launched a training program for school principals and teachers from the Diaspora aimed at providing Diaspora schools with modern tools to make the learning process more effective and strengthen the students’ ties with the Homeland.

The training of school principals and teachers, however, is only part of a large, comprehensive program initiated by M.A.M. Its ultimate goal is to map and register all Armenian schools in the Diaspora, as well as develop a unified teaching methodology for them.

Photo: Mediamax

Mediamax spoke with Marina Ghazaryan, Aida Grigoryan and Meline Ghazaryan, co-founders of the M.A.M educational movement about how to “forge your own path in a dark forest,” how to instill a love of the Armenian language in a child, and how to not only demand from the Diaspora but also support it.

“Sow” strong values, helping Diaspora children feel and love their Homeland

Marina Ghazaryan, founder and CEO of M.A.M educational movement

We have been working in the sphere of education for four years now, teaching students of all ages from over 40 countries. It is important to emphasize that we have never sought to “compete” with Armenian schools in the Diaspora; on the contrary, our main goal is to support them.

Marina Ghazaryan

Photo: Mediamax

We have created an online learning platform to provide an opportunity to learn Armenian to children who are unable to attend Sunday or other schools because they simply do not exist in their community.

Over these years, we have often participated in events dedicated to Diaspora schools, and from private conversations with their leaders and teachers, it became obvious that there was a serious need for support in terms of educational programs and teaching materials. Diaspora schools have been left alone with their goals, challenges, and mission. This issue has always been on our minds and required a systemic solution. 

This solution was also important from the students’ perspective since with online teaching M.A.M works with a large, but still limited, number of children, whereas by supporting and training teachers we will be able to “reach” more students.

Moreover, to this day, Diaspora schools teach mainly using educational materials designed for Armenian schools, which and are often incomprehensible, unappealing, and boring to students who grew up in another country.

To address all these challenges, we have developed a large-scale program, and the first practical step within it is to train Diaspora school leaders and principals. It was launched in late October 2025.

Meline Ghazaryan and Marina Ghazaryan

Photo: Mediamax

Over the next 8 months, twice a month, school principals and teachers in the Diaspora will “meet” online with the best specialists selected from Armenia and discuss a wide range of topics: Armenian history, traditions, rituals, the right psychological approach to help the child love the Armenian language and participate in lessons with greater interest.

During the training, we also provide teachers with materials, tools and contacts that may be helpful.

Currently, more than 130 people from approximately 40 countries are participating in the program. We are extremely pleased with the geography of the participants, from the USA to Kuwait, India, EU and CIS countries. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia also supports this program, spreading information about training opportunities.

Aida Grigoryan and Marina Ghazaryan

Photo: Mediamax

Teachers in the Diaspora must have a supportive organization in Armenia that will provide them with all the necessary materials and tools. Unfortunately, we are cut off from each other today. Of course, knowledge of the language is important, but our main mission is to make the generations growing up in the Diaspora understand and connect with Armenia. It is through language and culture that a child can feel, recognize and love their roots. Despite the blurring of boundaries and value systems during this period, there are values that remain unchanged, and it is these seeds that we strive to “sow”.

“Currently, the number of students involved in our programs exceeds 250”

Aida Grigoryan, co-founder and Director of Business Development of the M.A.M. educational movement

Looking back on the past years, I can say that the path has been quite difficult. Generally, in education, four or five years is a very short period to see real change. Technology is evolving, and so are the needs of our main target audience - children. We need to “keep up” with all this, which is what we are trying to do.

Aida Grigoryan

Photo: Mediamax

Over this time, the platform we created has become a significant educational resource. In addition to launching a training program for Diaspora teachers and principals, our primary focus remains on students of different years. Today, we have over 250 students from all over the world. We also support a number of schools by providing them with teaching methodologies and guidelines developed specifically for them.

Our design team is working diligently, as the engaging presentation of educational materials is crucial today. We employ artificial intelligence and a game-based approach, which has yielded positive results. We receive feedback from many parents who previously urged their children to learn Armenian, but now they don’t even notice how their children participate in lessons with love and without any reminder. Educational psychologists also play a significant role, and we engage them in the development of materials and programs.

Aida Grigoryan, Marina Ghazaryan and Meline Ghazaryan

Photo: Mediamax

Some students do not speak Armenian at all, and in the initial stages we teach them using another, intermediate language. The course duration is also individualized and depends on the goal set. Usually the longest language course at one level lasts 9 months, but students usually continue their studies, gradually developing their language skills.

We also actively work with corporate clients. These include people who, for various reasons, live and work in Armenia and want to learn Armenian to more quickly adapt to the new environment. In such cases, we also consider the company’s field of activity, developing a special methodology that includes the necessary terminology.

Today, M.A.M has more than 40 employees: teachers, methodologists, educational psychologists, designers, a marketing team and staff, which is available in different countries and time zones. 

“We are ready to take on a responsible role of transforming education in the Diaspora”

Meline Ghazaryan, Co-Founder, Chief Operating Officer of M.A.M educational platform

As direct participants in this process, we sometimes do not even notice the colossal changes we manage to achieve. Every time we look back on the year, we say: “We really have accomplished a lot” (smiles – editor’s note). 

Photo: Mediamax

We see the results of our work first and foremost in the children. Many join us with zero language skills, and then we meet them while they are traveling across Armenia as part of a home studies program. They communicate fluently in Armenian, learn about the culture, and make new friends. 

This is where the realization that our mission is truly effective, modern, and important is reinforced.

Meline Ghazaryan

Photo: Mediamax

We believe we have a great deal of work to in terms of fundamentally transforming and modernizing education in the Diaspora. Today, Armenia faces so many educational challenges that the state still lacks a clear strategy for developing education in the Diaspora. As an institution with significant experience, we are willing and ready to take on this important role, achieving real change.

We have decided to create a project that coordinates the work of all educational institutions in the Diaspora. First and foremost, our goal is to create a digital platform that will display all educational institutions in the Diaspora. Unfortunately, this information is currently very fragmented and incomplete. We want to unite the potential of the Diaspora, create a domain where the one-day, Sunday or church-affiliated and other Armenian schools, as well as working teachers will be registered.

Photo: Mediamax

Today, our Diaspora operates on the principle of self-organization, and if there is a dedicated teacher in a particular place, children receive the necessary knowledge. But relying solely on one teacher is impossible; a systemic approach is needed.

The goal is very ambitious and complex. We realize that we are entering a “dark forest” where we must forge our own path.

“Unfortunately, we hardly work with the Diaspora, expecting support from them instead”

Marina Ghazaryan

Despite having a large Diaspora, unfortunately, we hardly ever carry out work in Armenia aimed at the Diaspora. We constantly seek support from them instead.

This program aimed at attracting schools in the Diaspora and developing a unified teaching methodology requires significant effort and funding, and we know it will not be easy. But this is our “brainchild,” and we cannot leave it without a “future,” because we can see its enormous potential.

Many tell us that we are claiming to fulfill a government function, but this way, we want to help the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports with our experience.

Yana Shakhramanyan

Photos by Emin Aristakesyan