There is the English Britannica, and now we have an equally exceptional Armenian platform: Conversation with the editors of the WorldView geography subject

Exploring the dimensions of space and time is their passion turned into a profession. This opportunity is also made possible by WorldView, an educational platform that empowers the editors of Geography. Gor Aleksanyan, editor of WorldView geography subject, Associate Professor, Deputy Dean and Head of the Office at the Faculty of Geography and Geology, perceives the project as a transformative initiative to revitalize geography as both an academic subject and a scientific discipline in Armenia. However, this is just one of the reasons he joined the Visual Armenia Foundation team.

“Learning geography with WorldView also illustrates a commitment to national values and ideology. This vision is captured in the name WorldView, inspired by Anania Shirakatsi’s foundational works. It reflects a broad perspective—our Armenian worldview—resonating deeply with the heritage of Greater Armenia. Through this lens, geography, history, and other disciplines of Armenian studies gain added meaning,” explains Gor Aleksanyan.

WorldView complements traditional textbooks by creating an interactive, user-friendly educational environment. According to Aleksanyan, all students need is a smartphone to access high-quality, well-curated content anytime, anywhere. “The platform’s materials are less like traditional textbooks and more like encyclopedic entries, designed to expand intellectual horizons. The broader our understanding, the better equipped we are to perceive the world and our role within it,” he emphasizes.

“We aim to present topics in depth, yet in a language that is accessible and engaging for students. There’s the English Britannica, which offers broad yet generalized knowledge, and now we have an Armenian platform that meets those standards,” adds Vardan Asatryan, editor of WorldView’s geography content, PhD in Biological Sciences, senior researcher, and geography teacher at Quantum College.

The team begins with geography textbooks, identifying topics, locations, and phenomena that require deeper exploration. They then create detailed articles and supplementary materials tailored to those needs. “For example, a textbook might dedicate a single paragraph to Africa’s inland waters. From that, we develop comprehensive articles on each river, lake, and waterfall. This approach allows students to gain both a general understanding of the continent and the ability to explore its specific features in detail,” explains Asatryan. Using countries as another example, he notes, “Textbooks often summarize a nation’s key aspects—economy, population, and geography—in 2–3 paragraphs. In WorldView, these topics expand into 30–60 articles, offering unmatched depth.”

“As a student, I dreamed of better books and maps. Now, thanks to WorldView, we can traverse time and space. It’s a dream realized,” shares Tigran Yengibaryan, content coordinator for geography, teacher, and member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports. “’WorldView also serves as a powerful tool for fostering interdisciplinary connections. Previously, we relied on students’ imagination for such associations, but now, WorldView enables us to illustrate transformations like the political evolution of Southern Europe—from the Roman Empire to the Byzantine Empire and the Hellenistic civilization—while simultaneously examining the modern territories of Italy and Greece and their socio-economic changes.”

Yengibaryan teaches geography at both the Cambridge International School in Armenia and Geghanist village School, navigating two contrasting environments: one equipped with modern technology and the other less resourced. For him, WorldView bridges these gaps, and he envisions the platform evolving into an app in the future. “It has reshaped how students perceive modern geography and maps. They now understand that maps are dynamic and that the world is far more intricate and expansive than it seems. An Armenian-language project of this depth and scope is unprecedented in Armenia and globally.”

This dynamic platform, continuously updated with the latest information, empowers students not only to absorb knowledge but also to synthesize and create new insights. “Geography is a way of seeing the world. Without geographical thinking, one cannot effectively manage a state, territory, or even a household,” remarks Vardan Asatryan. “For students who spend much of their time online, ‘WorldView’ offers a brilliant alternative. Instead of navigating scattered information, they engage with a systematized platform that accelerates their learning journey.”
In the past two years, WorldView has enriched four geography textbooks with thousands of pages of carefully crafted supplementary and easy to use materials. Articles are written exclusively by experts with at least a bachelor’s degree in geography, ensuring unparalleled quality.

“Working with the foundation is regarded as a hallmark of excellence. A Visual Armenia community is in the making, synonymous with high-quality content and innovation. For professionals, being part of this community is a badge of honor. If, for instance, I meet someone in, let’s say, Vienna who works with Visual Armenia, we would both take pride in identifying with this esteemed network,” concludes Gor Aleksanyan.