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Armenia),
the organizatiuon that also oversees Armenia's .AM
country code top level domain. As
noted in an article at ArmenianDomains.com,"The introduction of the .հայ domain was intended to encourage the visibility of online content and websites in the Armenian language and
script, helping Armenian entities establish a unique online presence
that mirrors their cultural and linguistic heritage.
Many Armenian websites using the .AM ccTLD have also acquired their .հայ equivalent either to use as a separate website in the
native language of Armenia or forward the domain to their .AM website." More
insight into the impact that a native script
TLD like .հայ
came from a recent meeting
of Armernian leaders devoted to growing
the TLD's user base and drawing more attention to
Armenian langiage content online. In that
discussion, Kristina Hakobyan, Board Vice
Chair of the Internet Society NGO, emphasized
that Armenian, as one of the world’s oldest
languages with its own distinct alphabet,
deserves a strong presence in the global digital
environment. She said, "Expanding opportunities
for online communication in Armenian not only helps preserve
national identity, but also addresses practical
needs by improving internet accessibility for
wider segments of society."
Last
year's 9th anniversary celebration of the the first
registration in the Armenian-script .հայ
included a festive flashmob featuring a performance
by “Karin” Folk, Song and Dance Group. It was
organized by Internet Society NGO – the
manager of both .am and
.հայ domains.
(Photo courtesy of ISOC.AM)
With the
10th anniversary approaching, the March 2026 meeting
was also scheduled with an eye on a Universal
Acceptance Day event that was held soon
after on March 31st in Yerevan. On that topic
Kristina noted that Armenia’s participation in the
global Universal
Acceptance movement marked a significant
milestone in this effort. The initiative seeks to
guarantee that all languages and domain names are
fully recognized and supported across the internet. Siranush
Dvoyan, Chair of the Language Committee of the
Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of
Armenia, also took part and presented the Language
Committee’s efforts to advance the digital
transformation of Armenian, broaden the scope of
Armenian-language content online and enhance its
overall quality. She stressed the importance of
effective collaboration between government
institutions and professional organizations to
expand the use of Armenian in the digital sphere.
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