VII Side by Side International Inclusive Music Art Festival to be held October 2-5

With the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, under the patronage of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spouse, Mrs. Anna Hakobyan, the “Side by Side” educational and cultural non-governmental organization will hold the VII Side by Side International Inclusive Music Art Festival from October 2 to 5 under the slogan “An Inclusive Society – A Civilized Country.”

The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports said in a press release that this year the festival has around 500 participants from Armenia and abroad, including Russia, Georgia, Moldova, Uzbekistan and other countries.

The festival’s main sponsor is the Yerevan City Hall.

The “Side by Side” International Inclusive Music Art Festival aims to identify the creative potential of children and adolescents with developmental differences, contribute to the development and improvement of their abilities, and create equal conditions for their active involvement in educational and cultural life.

At 5:00 p.m. on October 2, the festival’s official opening ceremony will take place at the National Centre of Chamber Music, as part of which the concert “First Steps” will be held. Students from music and art schools in Yerevan and all regions of Armenia, territorial centers for pedagogical and psychological support, as well as the festival’s international participants, will perform musical pieces.

At 5:00 p.m. on October 3, theatrical productions featuring children and adolescents with developmental differences will be presented on the small stage /“Black Box”/ of the G. Sundukyan National Academic Theatre.

On October 4, a master class-seminar will be held online for specialists in the field of inclusion, with the participation of internationally qualified medical specialists from Russia and the United States.

Around 200 specialists, parents and guardians from various organizations will participate in the master class, which is aimed at developing and promoting inclusion in Armenia, as well as ensuring continuing education in the field.

At 7:00 p.m. on October 5, the festival’s closing gala concert will take place at Freedom Square. The festival participants will perform on one stage, side by side, with renowned musicians and performers and music groups from Armenia’s music scene.

This year’s festival participants include living legend of Armenian jazz Levon Malkhasyan, renowned singer-songwriter Ruben Hakhverdyan, as well as Gor Sujyan, Iveta Mukuchyan, the bands Nemra, Lav Eli and Gata, and other renowned musicians and music groups.

As part of the gala concert, an exhibition and sale of paintings and handicrafts by children with developmental characteristics will also be organized in the area of Freedom Square.

Founded in 2019, the “Side by Side” festival has expanded its format and geography over the years. From a national event, the festival became international in its second year, hosting participants from France, Germany, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Georgia, Bahrain and other countries.

Year by year, the festival expands its cooperation with partner organizations, contributing to the creation and development of an inclusive cultural environment.