Introductory remarks ART was founded by: Happenings within the year 2009 continued to be under weight of internal and external Armenian Apostolic Church realities. World Council of Churches Having to deal with geopolitical realities, Armenia faced the challenge of mitigating do- mestically the aftereffects of global financial crisis, which hit hardest Armenia compared Membership to countries in the region for a number of reasons of internal and external origin. Armenia recorded the greatest decline in GDP among CIS countries and a reversal of the gains in pov- ART and its staff is a member of the following networks: erty reduction, which is still continuing. According to the World Bank, the crisis could push • ACT Alliance 172,000 people below the poverty line in 2009-2010, increasing the total number of poor to • APRODEV Eastern Europe Platform 906,000, out of which 297,000 people would be extremely poor. As a response to worsening • Different commissions of WCC socio-economic conditions in the country, the ART exerted efforts through its Integrated • Eastern European Church Anti-AIDS network Community Development programme to pursue a long-term change by empowering com- • Funding member of “The East” foundation munities for development and implementation of own strategic options towards different, • Europe and Central Asia Faith Based Organizations and UNFPA Partnership Net- targeted as social, economic, spiritual and environmental improvements in a participatory work on Population and Development approach and sustainable process, launched and strengthened in rural and vulnerable com- munities in Armenia. Staff Having an aim to contribute to another long-standing process, improvement of regional Karen Nazaryan, Executive Director dialogue for peace and reconciliation, ART has recognized the importance and need for Tsovinar Ghazaryan, Programme Officer availing direct people-to-people contacts and boosting people’s diplomacy as potential and Karine Baghdasaryan, Programme Officer consequential solution to trust building and attitude change. With this consideration, the Rubina Devrikyan, Programme Officer ART in cooperation with Armenian and Azerbaijani partners continued implementation of Alla Sarkissova, Programme Officer “Promoting Dialogue for Regional Reconciliation” programme aiming to encourage more Elmira Madoyan, Chief Accountant perceptive ideas for peace at public level in both countries and as a step in the process avail- Tsovinar Manvelyan, Accountant ing immediate contacts between peace activists from both sides. This is one of rare public David Atabekyan, Lawyer initiatives carried out in both countries as an input into reconciliation dialogue and opening Susanna Aleksanyan, Administrative Assistant space for people-to-people contacts, which is exclusion rather a complement to policy op- Satenik Harutyunyan, Programme Officer Assistant tions and existing opportunities. Seda Tonoyan, Programme Officer Assistant Beyond the region, Armenia has prioritized integration with European organizations Aleksan Ter-Avetisyan, Driver and made an entry to the European Union a robust policy goal of Armenia. The Eastern Partnership programme and participation of civil society in it are seen as an opportunity to modernize in line with EU standards and support fundamental human rights and freedoms, good governance and democracy. In the process civil society is seen an important actor for involvement in national decision making and in the development of social dialogue. The ART as well is concerned with contributing to sustainability of civil society and raising its capacity for as effective as possible involvement in achievement of partnership’s aims and European integration. With the consideration of strategic and development issues, and challenges in social, political, ecological and economic aspects, ART has carried on and will sustain its efforts in implementation of a holistic programme that works committed and in ways that respond to needs for promoting sustainable livelihoods and growth, civil society development and strengthening, regional dialogue and peaceful co-existence. Armenia Round Table Foundation Board of Trustees Other Partners Emergency Management State Academy The members of the Board are: Microsoft, RA Bishop Markos Hovhannissian, Chairman, Armenian Apostolic Church, Prelate of Ministry of Education of RA Gegharkunik Diocese “Shoghakat” TV Company, Yerevan Bishop Hovakim Manoukyan, Armenian Apostolic Church, Head of inter-church relations Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Fr. Vahram Melikyan, Armenian Apostolic Church, Head of information department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Foreign partners Sister Arousiag Sajonian, Armenian Catholic Church, Superior of “Our Lady of Armenia” Action by Churches Together, Switzerland (ACT Alliance) Convent APRODEV Eastern Europe Platform Rev. Rene Leonyan, Armenian Evangelical Church, Head of Mission of Armenian Missionary Church Development Service – An Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany, Association Germany (EED) Ms. Gohar Grigoryan, UMCOR Armenia, Acting Head of Country Office Danish Armenian Mission/DanChurchAid, Denmark (DAM/DCA), Mr. Hayk Minassyan, “Shen” NGO, Chief Executive Officer Diakonisches Werk/ Bread for the World, Germany (DW/ BftW) Global Ministries, the Netherlands (GM) Inter-church Organization for Development Cooperation, the Netherlands (ICCO) Partners Norwegian Church Aid, Norway (NCA) Local partners Swiss Inter-church Aid, Switzerland (HEKS/EPER), Church The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Armenian Apostolic Church The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Aragatsotn Diocese of AAC World Council of Churches, Switzerland (WCC) Armavir Diocese of AAC Gegharkunik Diocese of AAC Gugark Diocese of AAC Auditor Kotayk Diocese of AAC “SOS-AUDIT” LLC Shirak Diocese of AAC Tavush Vicariate of Gugark Diocese of AAC Armenian Catholic Church Armenian Evangelical Church Christian Education Centre of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Vazkenian Theological Seminary of AAC NGOs “Aragats” Social Charity Youth NGO, Talin “Association of Judges of Republic of Armenia” NGO, Yerevan “Caravan-88” NGO, Yerevan “Cross of Armenian Unity” NGO, Etchmiadzin “Meghrik” beekeeper’s Foundation, Ijevan “Real World, Real People” social organization, Yerevan “Shen” NGO, Yerevan “World Vision International” Armenian Division “Youth of Jrvezh” Cultural-Educational NGO “Zangakatun” NGO, Yerevan List of Abbreviations Publications “Court and Justice,” AAC Armenian Apostolic Church “Church, State and Society,” AAC Armenian Apostolic Church “Social Rights”, ACC Armenian Catholic Church “Children’s Rights”, AEC Armenian Evangelical Church “Soldier’s spiritual assistance” ART Armenia Round Table CAPS Competitive Armenian Private Sector CC Computer Centres CIS Commonwealth of Independent States DAM Danish Armenian Mission DW Diakonisches Werk EED Church Development Service – An Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany ENP European Neighbourhood Policy ENPI European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument EU European Union GBV Gender-Based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product HEKS/EPER Swiss Inter-church Aid HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ICCO Inter-church Organization for Development Cooperation ICD Integrated Community Development ICPD International Conference on Population and Development IDU Injective Drug User NCET National Centre for Educational Technologies NGO Non-Governmental Organization OSI Open Society Institute RA Republic of Armenia UN The United Nations Organization UNDP The United Nations Development Programme UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund USAID The United States Agency for International development Integrated Community Development programme (ICD) ART aims to strengthen the most vulnerable communi- ties, maintain out-of-school and vocational training study ties at different levels and build up community based groups groups for children and young people, launch awareness in a responsive and self-reliant mode. For implementation raising campaigns on a number of social issues, advocate of the Integrated Community Development Programme the for betterment of educational and social systems in the ART worked in cooperation with the Church and parishes, country and development of value base society, contribute partner NGOs and community based groups with a shared to spiritual uplifting of people through clergy involvement objective to promote just and sustainable livelihoods of peo- in a variety of activities. On the whole, the Programme ac- ple by empowering community based groups become active tivities are welcomed and receive positive feedback as noted agents of development. The ICD works to address econom- through site visits and meetings with people, partner report- ic, social, spiritual, educational and environmental issues ing and feedback sharing on part of beneficiaries and part- in the country. Geographically and in investment, the main ners. Combined, activities of individual projects contribute focus of the ICD are the most vulnerable regions in Arme- to community empowerment and strengthening of owner- nia: Shirak and Gegharkunik as first priority areas for big ship, encouraging pro-active behavior on part of commu- scale intervention. Through middle scale projects the ART nity based groups and undertaking responsibility for seek- worked in Tavush, Armavir and Kotayk regions, where ing solutions, sustaining started