On February 4, the Regional Center for Democracy and Security (RCDS) held a conference titled “Direct Dialogue: Addressing Refugee Needs in Armenia.”
The first panel featured speakers including John Gallagher, the British Ambassador to Armenia; Patrik Svensson, the Swedish Ambassador; and Jan Plešinger, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia. The discussion was moderated by Tigran Grigoryan, Director of the RCDS. The speakers presented humanitarian programs implemented by their governments and the EU in Armenia to support refugee integration. They also discussed how their priorities have shifted in response to the forced displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.
The second panel featured Hayk Khanumyan, public figure; Grigori Sahakyan, retired colonel; and Anush Shahramanyan, lawyer. The discussion was moderated by journalist Arshaluys Mghdesyan. Hayk Khanumyan provided a comparative analysis of international refugee assistance in different countries and Armenia. Anush Shahramanyan addressed key legal challenges faced by Nagorno-Karabakh refugees in Armenia. Grigori Sahakyan discussed the issues and challenges faced by thousands of former servicemen following the dissolution of the Artsakh Defense Army.
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The third panel featured representatives of Armenian civil society, including Aren Manukyan from Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center, Narine Safaryan from the Media Initiatives Center, and Sarine Hayriyan from the Eurasia Partnership Foundation. The discussion was moderated by researcher Anna Gevorgyan from the Center for Civilizational and Cultural Studies. The panelists presented programs implemented by their organizations focusing on studying and addressing refugee-related issues, supporting civil society and media organizations from Nagorno-Karabakh, assisting journalists, and promoting refugee integration.
Speakers and participants emphasized the importance of direct engagement with displaced Armenians and underscored the necessity of initiatives and mechanisms that create such opportunities.
The “Integration of Nagorno-Karabakh Refugees into Armenia’s Analytical and NGO Sectors” project is implemented by the Regional Center for Democracy and Security within the Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s “Crisis Response: Phase Two” program, with financial support from the European Union.
Regional Center for Democracy and Security