From September 2024 to February 2025 the Caucasus Institute held a new project titled “Harnessing Youth Engagement to Shape Armenia’s Democratic Future through an Analysis of Lessons Learned from Post-Revolutionary and Post-War Armenia,” supported by CFLI.
Press conference
On February 25, the Caucasus Institute held a press conference titled “The Aftermath of the Revolution: Youth Support Domestic Policy, Reject Foreign Policy.” This event summarized the results of “Harnessing Youth Engagement to Shape Armenia’s Democratic Future through an Analysis of Lessons Learned from Post-Revolutionary and Post-War Armenia,” project, implemented by the Caucasus Institute and supported by CFLI.
During the conference, Alexander Iskandaryan, Director of the Caucasus Institute, and Liana Khachatryan, Editor and Host of Lratvakan Radio, presented the outcomes of discussions held with youth from Armenia’s regions.
Over several months, CI and other experts met with youth from the Syunik and Armavir regions, asking them to share their views on past and future changes in post-war and post-revolutionary Armenia and explored the differences and similarities between the two regions.
Media Discussions
In collaboration with Lratvakan Radio, a series of media discussions were held featuring experts such as Hrant Mikaelyan, Aram Abrahamyan, Mark Grigoryan, Ruben Safrastyan, Leonid Nersisyan, Sergey Minasyan, and Alexander Iskandaryan. These experts shared their insights on societal transformations, domestic and foreign policy issues, and prospects for peace and security in post-revolutionary and post-war Armenia.
Discussions in the regions
From October to December, the Goris Press Club NGO organized a series of closed, informal discussions in the Syunik Province cities of Goris, Kajaran, and Sisian. These sessions featured speakers such as political scientists Alexander Iskandaryan and Hrant Mikaelyan, editor and radio host Liana Khachatryan, and writer and journalist Mark Grigoryan. At the same time under the auspices of Armavir Development Center NGO discussions were held with the youth of Armavir Province featuring political scientists Alexander Iskandaryan and Benyamin Poghosyan. The discussions provided a platform for young individuals and professionals from diverse fields to engage with experts on the lessons learned from Armenia’s post-revolutionary and post-war periods. Topics included insights into security, economic development, and freedom, as well as strategies for leveraging these lessons to build a democratic future for Armenia. Participants also had the opportunity to share their perspectives and visions with the experts, fostering a collaborative dialogue.
Expert Discussions
As part of this initiative, the first expert discussion was held on September 19 at Caucasus Institute. During the session, experts shared their insights on the post-revolutionary and post-war conditions in Armenia, reflecting on key lessons learned from these experiences. They also presented their visions for Armenia’s future, contributing to a broader dialogue on the country’s democratic development.
On February 11, the Caucasus Institute hosted another expert discussion to reflect on the insights gathered from regional focus group discussions. Experts shared their experiences from visits to the Syunik and Armavir regions, highlighting both the similarities and differences between the youth in these areas and their perceptions of post-revolutionary and post-war Armenia. They also pointed out the challenges and issues they observed in these regions. During the discussion, actionable recommendations were proposed to address these challenges and strengthen youth participation in shaping Armenia’s democratic future.
