Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia will tackle a number of issues presented by the Paris Agreement, including Armenia’s commitment to increase its forest cover to 20 percent by 2050 (Photograph by Jason Sohigian)
The inaugural “Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia” will bring global leaders in reforestation to Armenia’s capital in October
July 15, 2019 – Armenia Tree Project (ATP) and the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment are proud to announce an upcoming inaugural conference that will bring global leaders in forest conservation and restoration to Yerevan in October.
Forest Summit: Global Action and Armenia will be held from October 20-23 at the American University of Armenia and will feature three days of discussion and collaborative dialogue on conservation and reforestation efforts much needed in countries across the world.
The conference will showcase successful conservation and reforestation projects and their respective champions, bringing together the world’s best minds to collaborate on effective practices and industry innovations that help save trees and forests around the globe.
ATP has helped protect Armenia’s environment, empower its citizens, and invigorate local economies since its establishment in 1994. Since the group’s inception, more than 5.7 million trees have been planted across the country, and hundreds of jobs have been created through tree-related programing.
“While we are very proud of our work in Armenia over the past 25 years, we recognize that our next 25 years are equally important,” says Jeanmarie Papelian, ATP’s Executive Director. “This summit with reforestation leaders from around the world will provide us the platform to share our best practices, learn from other nations, and continue to make the planet a more verdant place.”
The October conference will provide a first-hand look at the success of reforestation accomplished to date, and the work that lies ahead in Armenia and around the world. While success stories like the one in Armenia are gradually becoming more universal, efforts must be sustained to combat deforestation that continues to plague so many areas globally. The conference will offer sightseeing tours to Dilijan National Forest and ATP’s Mirak Family Reforestation Nursery in Margahovit Village, where attendees can observe reforestation work in action.
“There have been many conservation and restoration initiatives in Armenia and the wider region for decades, and this Summit will enable us to review this experience, learn from mistakes and successes, and plan for the future,” says Alen Amirkhanian, Director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment. “The AUA Acopian Center has been on the forefront of organizing such policy discussions and debates. The Summit is an example of our deep commitment to open and multi-stakeholder deliberations on critical environmental issues.”
