Those who have been to Holland may testify to the fact that the sale of Dutch clogs brings immense income to the country. The business assures work for thousands of craftsmen. Clogs may be mere souvenirs today, but they are souvenirs which bring in a lot of money. Now it is our turn; it is necessary to seize the day. All major news outlets covered the discovery in Armenia of the oldest leather shoe on the planet. This was unprecedented publicity, the kind which tens of millions of dollars couldn’t buy. It is necessary to take advantage of the moment. Those countries which can make money even out of thin air end up ahead. It is called “capitalisation” nowadays, that is to say, when even the most abstract idea is transformed into material gains. As long as there is still buzz about the news of the oldest shoe, as long as this story has not yet been absolutely forgotten, souvenir shoes should be manufactured, replicas of the archaeological discovery, but of different sizes and prices. “The Oldest Shoe in the World” should be rendered a brand of our country, physical testimony to our most ancient civilisation. If the business, and especially the marketing, be well-organised, the manufacture and sale of souvenir replicas of the oldest shoe in the world could end up creating hundreds of jobs for our unemployed people, a source of stable income for thousands. We already have all the prerequisites for such skilled labour. As long as it isn’t too late, all the published materials and press clippings on the oldest shoe in the world should be collected from major news sources, to be cited in future. Imagine, for example, a pair of pretty leather shoes to be hung on a wall, attached to which would be a booklet entitled The Oldest Shoe in the World, containing a selection of press clippings from major media. Such a booklet would promote Armenia much more effectively than many large volumes. Carpe diem! Ara Papian 15 June, 2010