Oct 11, 2017

Les Gardiens du Silence

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Les Gardiens du Silence, Tserakvi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2017

One of the standout bands at this year’s One Caucasus Festival in Georgia was undoubtedly the Baku-based Les Gardiens du Silence, a collective playing improvised world and spiritual music. They had also performed in Tbilisi a week earlier, and did so again soon after the festival, but it was their performances around a campfire at One Caucasus that was the most enjoyable.

After the festival I also interviewed one of the bands members when the band were back in Tbilisi. The band has a Facebook page here.

One Caucasus Festival in Georgia Bridges Regional Divides

Sep 1, 2024

This month, against the backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains, a unique four-day festival in Georgia celebrated its tenth anniversary. Held annually in August, the multi-disciplinary One Caucasus festival aims to rediscover a spirit of unity and cooperation that once flourished among the diverse nations of the region.

End of an Era: Russian Border Guards Depart Yerevan’s Airport

Aug 6, 2024

Russian border guards left Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport last week, concluding their nearly 32-year presence. The first point of contact for many citizens and tourists arriving by air in Armenia, their exact duties and numbers were never formally announced. The 1992 agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia instead only refers to the Border Directorate of the Federal Security Service (FSB) ensuring the protection of the border with Turkiye and Iran.