YSU Charles Aznavour Cultural Center's "Universitian" theater studio wins "Universiade-2026" competition

As part of the "Universiade-2026" competition, students from the "Universitian" theater studio of the YSU Charles Aznavour Cultural Center presented the theatrical performance "Servant Simon", staged based on a work by Avetik Isahakyan. Under the artistic direction of Gayane Yeghiazaryan, the performance secured first place, sharing the top honor with representatives from the Russian-Armenian University.

Held at the Russian-Armenian University, "Universiade-2026" has been organized annually since 2014 in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia. The event aims to promote the close link between education, sports, and patriotic values, while creating a space where students can compete, connect, and exchange ideas. This year, participants from 22 universities across Armenia are competing in sports, cultural, and intellectual fields.

Within the cultural program, the theater studio presented "Servant Simon" in the theater arts category.

Jury member Sona Torosyan praised the performance, highlighting the students' strong stage presence, coordination, and professional approach. She noted the actors' dedication and emphasized that the performance stood out for its balance and overall coherence on stage.

The students approached the production with a strong sense of responsibility, viewing it not only as a creative project but also as an opportunity to test themselves in a professional environment. They shared that the experience was both exciting and emotionally meaningful, adding that such platforms help them grow artistically and build confidence for future work on stage.

According to artistic director Gayane Yeghiazaryan, the production was a valuable creative process, focused on revealing the young actors' potential and nurturing their commitment to the stage.

With this achievement, the YSU Charles Aznavour Cultural Center has concluded its participation in this year's "Universiade-2026", which offered students and young artists a platform to showcase their talent, exchange experiences, and engage in a healthy creative competition.

The Cultural Center was also represented in other cultural categories: its girls' dance ensemble performed Sayat-Nova's "Nazani" (choreographed by artistic director Ani Haroyan), while the YSU Choir presented a selection of Sayat-Nova's songs, including "Kani vour jan im", "Dun en hurin is", and "Chka kizi nman" (conductor: Ruben Karasefyan; artistic director: Honored Artist of the Republic of Armenia Karen Sargsyan).