«Քաղաքացիական հասարակության մասնակցության ամրապնդումը Հայաստանում և Վրաստանում» Սեմինար Բոննի համալսարանում (անգլերեն)
Source: here
Workshop “Strengthening the Participation of Civil Society in Armenia and Georgia” which will take place on October 27-28, 2016 at the University of Bonn (at the conference venue Heussallee 18-24, Forum Internationale Wissenschaft).
There is no conference fee, but registration via mail until October 20
is necessary ([email protected]).
*Conference Outline*
The development of participatory democracy as well as the strengthening of the civil society are important objectives of the
external policy of the European Union in the near neighbourhood. The intensification of the political dialogue with the Union under the
European Neighbourhood Policy has created in post-Soviet space, especially in Armenia and Georgia, an atmosphere in which the emergence of pluralistic forces and the consolidation of active civil society became possible. However, there are still various
institutional and organizational barriers that do not allow civil society actors in Armenia and Georgia to become key factors in
promoting democracy.
The aim of the workshop is to promote an exchange of views and experiences between civil society stakeholders from Armenia and
Georgia as well as some experts from Germany. In the light of defective constitutional practice and restricted inclusion of the
civil society in political processes in both countries, we intend to create a space for a dialogue between scientists, NGO representatives,
the media as well as parts of the religious community.
* *
*Preliminary Agenda* (4.10.16)
*27.10.2016*
15:00 – 15:15
Welcome adress
15:15 – 16:45
Session I
*Civil society in Armenia and Georgia: current problems and challenges*
Prof. Giga Zedania (Rector of Ilia State University, Georgia)
Dr. Yevgenya Jenny Paturyan (American University of
Armenia, Armenia)
Hans-Jochen Schmidt (Former Ambassador of Germany to Armenia, Germany)
16:45 – 17:15
Coffee break
17:15 – 18:45
Session II
*The role of the media in the sociopolitical construction in Armenia
and Georgia*
Akaki Gvimradze (Journalist, BBC Mentor in Georgia, Georgia)
Sara Khojoyan (Journalist, Bloomberg Yerevan, Armenia)
Anahit Hayrapetyan (Freelance Journalist, Germany)
*28.10.2016*
09:00 – 10:30
Session III
*Church as a mediator: How can the Church open new channels for
dialogue between the civil society actors and political players*
Dr. Kornely Kakachia (Director of Georgian Institute of Politics, Georgia)
Narek Mkrtchyan (American University of Armenia, Armenia)
Dr. Detlev Preuße (Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, Germany)
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 12:30
Session IV (Round table)
*Which mechanisms could be developed for a stronger involvement of the
civil society actors in political decision-making processes in Armenia
and Georgia?*
Erika Kvapilova (UN Women Country Representative in Georgia, Georgia)
Dr. Stepan Grigoryan (Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional
Cooperation, Armenia)
Hans-Jürgen Zahorka (Former MEP, Chief Editor, European Union Foreign
Affairs Journal, Germany)
12:30
End of conference
/ /
/Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) on behalf of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Auswärtiges Amt),
Berlin/