March 4, 2025, Yerevan, Armenia
On March 2, the TUMO Kapan main building was officially opened, serving as a central hub for TUMO’s educational network in the southern part of Syunik Province. Housed in the Kapan railway station—a historic building now reborn as an innovation hub—this new center, together with the TUMO Boxes in Meghri and Kajaran, will serve around 2,500 teenagers. In addition, teenagers from Goris, where a TUMO Box will soon begin operating, will also attend workshops and learning labs at TUMO Kapan, with transportation provided.
The TUMO Kapan project was made possible thanks to our cooperation with the Kapan Municipality, the EU’s Resilient Syunik Team Europe initiative, and our donors Judith Saryan and Victor Zarougian․ The TUMO Boxes in Meghri and Goris are sponsored by the Kashian family and ContourGlobal.
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At the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, Kapan Mayor Gevorg Parsyan, and TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian formally opened the doors of the new center. The event was attended by representatives of state agencies, TUMO’s international and local partners, students and parents from the community, and the general public.
Kapan Mayor, Gevorg Parsyan welcomed all of Kapan’s guests and congratulated them on the official opening of the TUMO Kapan building: “We are very pleased that a TUMO Center is being established right here, because the railway once served not only as an important transportation hub for us but also contributed to the economic and cultural development of our entire region. In the twenty-first century, developing a knowledge-based economy and technology is extremely important, and I hope our teenagers will use this opportunity to shape Kapan’s future.”
EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos noted, “TUMO Kapan exemplifies the European Union’s commitment to innovation and supporting regional development in Armenia. This center will not only equip young people with the skills to thrive locally but will also contribute to the sustainable economic development and resilience of the Syunik region. Our partnership with TUMO is a key part of the EU’s broader mission to invest in human capital, strengthen local economies, and prepare the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who will shape the future of Armenia,” he emphasized in his opening remarks.
“Our goal of providing all teenagers in Syunik with life-changing learning experiences on a large-scale began back in 2021 with just one TUMO Box. Now, we have grown into a full educational network. This major undertaking was made possible by a strong partnership. TUMO purchased a formerly privatized building, while the Kapan Municipality and the EU joined forces through the ‘Resilient Syunik Team Europe’ initiative, and our loyal friends Judith and Victor lent their invaluable support. Notably, we are announcing the long-awaited news about the TUMO Box in Goris, which is being launched in collaboration with ContourGlobal. To complete TUMO’s educational network in Syunik, we only need to establish the Sisian Center and its surrounding TUMO Boxes. We hope to overcome that challenge, too, by finding reliable partners,” said TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian.
The TUMO Kapan educational space will not be limited to a single building. Construction is ongoing, and newly built facilities outlined in the project will soon open to students. In the meantime, educational activities will continue in temporary TUMO Boxes located adjacent to the building.
TUMO Kapan will offer a unique experience not only for teenagers but also for the entire community. The TUMO Labs program, implemented in cooperation with the EU, will be based here as well. Offering practical projects in technology, science, and engineering for individuals 18 and older, TUMO Labs in Kapan will initially launch the guided self-learning (GSL) program, giving students the opportunity to study machine learning, Python, or JavaScript from scratch, free of charge, by registering online at tumolabs.am. Moreover, the building will be equipped with spaces tailored for events, coworking, and learning.
Sixteen-year-old Luiza, a future architect, has been a TUMO student since the first TUMO Box opened in Kapan. She was also present at the center’s opening, eagerly waiting her turn to enter the building: “We’ve been looking forward to the building’s opening for a long time, and it will offer us new opportunities. TUMO helped me decide on my future career—it was after taking a 3D modeling workshop and Jay Perez’s cultural heritage scanning learning lab that I realized I wanted to become an architect. And I’m very happy our railway station building has retained its historical spirit.”
The official opening coincided with the popular Barekendan event on TUMO’s festive calendar. True to TUMO style, the celebration included a calligraphy performance and a screen printing workshop featuring TUMO alumni and TUMO Studios experts, a traditional song-dance-masquerade, and performances by the Vorotna folk dance ensemble and the Katil folk band. The event also showcased TUMO’s work in digitizing cultural heritage, with participants taking a virtual tour of historical sites in Syunik scanned by TUMO.
The evening concluded with an audiovisual experience by Misak Samokatyan and Shaghen Khandkaryan, dedicated to the history and revival of Kapan’s railway station building.
About TUMO
TUMO’s mission is to create life-changing learning experiences on a large scale. Founded in Armenia and expanding around the world, TUMO’s education model offers studies in technology and design by combining self-learning with hands-on workshops and learning labs, preparing teenagers to meet the challenges of a rapidly developing world.
In Armenia, TUMO’s goal is to provide innovative education for teenagers regardless of where they live. Through its network of TUMO Centers and TUMO Boxes, the program is accessible even in the most remote and smallest communities. TUMO Boxes are mini-centers where students complete their self-learning phase; for hands-on workshops and learning labs led by local and international experts, students travel by dedicated transport to full-scale TUMO Centers.
