Category: News

The pavilion of Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport in the COP17 Green Zone was dedicated to culture on October 25.

Visitors had the opportunity to learn about grant programs for the creative industries, initiatives by theatre and concert organizations, and Armenia’s cultural heritage. Exhibits and activities ranged from museum collections and scholarly publications to digital and interactive art formats and museums’ educational and cultural programs.

According to a ministry press release, the National Center of Folk Music and Dance showcased Armenian national culture through performances by state ensembles.

These included the State Song and Dance Ensemble of Armenia, the State Dance Ensemble of Armenia, the Akunk State Ethnographic Ensemble, the Barekamutyun State Ensemble, and the State Orchestra of Armenian National Instruments.

The Culture Day program also featured the Meknark talent development program, the “Film School Without Borders” educational program, a short film festival, the Fresco International Festival, and activities organized by the Children’s Special Creative Center.

The Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vardan Achemyan State Drama Theatre of Gyumri presented their programs and initiatives.

The Gabriel Sundukyan National Academic Theatre presented its “Classics + Classroom” educational and cultural program.

Museum programs also featured prominently in the day’s events. The Service for the Protection of Historical Environment and Cultural Museum-Reservations presented replicas of valuable archaeological finds, informational materials, and educational programs. Visitors took part in the “Restore It Yourself” educational program and explored the history and architecture of Garni Temple through a virtual tour using VR headsets.

The Aram Khachaturian House-Museum presented publications on the composer’s life and creative legacy, museum souvenirs, the “Travel with Khachaturian” program, and virtual reality experiences.

The Martiros Saryan House-Museum presented the artist’s legacy through traditional and digital formats. Visitors explored the “Armenia” mural using VR technology and viewed reproductions of his works through augmented reality (AR). Books, albums, postcards, and ceramic works were also on display.

The Komitas Museum-Institute presented new publications, focusing in particular on the theme of nature in the composer’s works and the relationship between humans and nature. Commemorative medals dedicated to Komitas, catalogs, and other publications were also displayed.

The cultural program concluded with a performance by the Amarak Choir of the Komitas Museum-Institute.

On October 26, the ministry’s pavilion is dedicated to higher education and science. The Higher Education and Science Committee will present science grant programs and the Academic City project.

The COP17 Green Zone is open to all visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

COP17 President and Armenia’s Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan met with Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Sigrun Aasland, on the margins of COP17 in Yerevan.

“We discussed the conference agenda and the progress of negotiations, emphasizing the importance of constructive dialogue and joint efforts to reach agreement on key issues,” Matevosyan said on social media.

He added that his Norwegian counterpart commended the organization of COP17 and the arrangements put in place to facilitate the conference’s work.

The Kunming Biodiversity Fund will allocate US$21 million to implement nine new biodiversity conservation projects.

China’s Vice-Minister of Ecology and Environment Dong Baotong and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen announced the funding at a press conference during COP17.

Andersen said 31 projects had been approved since the fund began operating, with US$35 million already allocated for their implementation.

“We are proud to co-lead this fund. We must support developing countries in turning ideas into practical action. The projects announced today are an investment in nature conservation. Our shared commitment is to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework,” she said.

Andersen expressed hope that the fund would continue to expand, enabling it to support more countries.

Dong Baotong said the Kunming Biodiversity Fund’s primary objective was to help developing countries fulfil their international environmental commitments. He said around 40 projects were expected to receive funding under the fund’s third funding phase.

“The nine new projects have already been approved, while the selection of the remaining projects is continuing. The deadline for applications for the next round of the third phase is 15 November. Applications remain open, and we encourage all interested parties to submit their proposals. High-quality applications that were not selected in the previous phase may also be considered alongside newly submitted applications,” Dong Baotong added.

COP17 President and Armenia’s Minister of Environment Hambardzum Matevosyan met with Grethel Aguilar, Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), on the sidelines of COP17 in Yerevan.

“We discussed opportunities to develop and implement joint projects under the ninth replenishment cycle of the Global Environment Facility (GEF-9), with a view to mobilizing financing aligned with Armenia’s priorities,” Matevosyan said on Facebook.

“We also explored the possibility of establishing an IUCN office in Yerevan and the preparatory steps required. IUCN’s long-term presence could create new opportunities to implement environmental programmes, exchange expertise and mobilize international support in Armenia and across the region,” he added.

Matevosyan said he expressed Armenia’s interest in hosting the IUCN World Conservation Congress. “In this context, we discussed reviewing the host country requirements and exploring Armenia’s potential candidacy. Our goal is to translate the cooperation being advanced through COP17 into a lasting partnership that delivers tangible results for nature conservation in Armenia,” he said.

Armenia’s Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan spoke at a high-level dialogue entitled “Human Rights-Based Action for Biodiversity: Opportunities and Challenges”, held at Armenia’s pavilion in COP17’s Blue Zone.

According to a statement from the Human Rights Defender’s Office, the discussion, organised jointly by the Armenian presidency and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, aimed to explore the relationship between human rights and biodiversity conservation, as well as the opportunities and challenges involved in integrating human rights-based approaches into environmental policies.

In her remarks, Manasyan stressed that, despite progress, Armenia continued to face several challenges in ensuring the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

These concerned both public participation and access to justice in environmental matters, as well as specific issues within the sector. In particular, she addressed building demolition carried out in violation of established standards, which significantly affects air pollution levels, noise exceeding permissible limits, and rights-related and other problems in the mining sector.

Manasyan also highlighted the need for protection mechanisms against strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), stressing that Armenia needed to adopt anti-SLAPP legislation and develop appropriate mechanisms for that purpose.

She also gave examples of how she had raised the issue during the development and implementation of domestic policies and at various international forums.

“For effective human rights protection, it is important that people’s needs, rights and legitimate interests are taken into account in decision-making. The development and implementation of environmental policies must also ensure public participation, access to information and effective protection mechanisms,” Manasyan said.

She noted that public participation in environmental matters requires both access to information and opportunities for people’s views and proposals to be heard and duly considered in decision-making. Various problems persist in this area. The involvement of women, young people and local communities is also important for public participation.

The Human Rights Defender also discussed the low level of public awareness of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, outlining the extensive work her institution had launched and the activities already undertaken.

Other participants in the high-level dialogue included Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Robert Abisoghomonyan; Panama’s Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro; Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; and Sefa Tauli, Policy Co-Coordinator of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network.

The Human Rights Defender emphasises the importance of consistently integrating human rights protection principles into environmental policies and ensuring that everyone’s rights and interests are duly considered when decisions on biodiversity conservation are made and implemented.

The US$1.4 million in support approved for conserving Lake Sevan’s ecosystem is not the only funding available, as Armenia is also working with international partners on other projects.

COP17 President and Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan said this at a press conference held during the conference, responding to a question about the Lake Sevan conservation programme.

“I am pleased that US$1.4 million has been approved, but this is not the only funding. Nor is this the only programme we are working on and discussing with our partners. We are talking about multilateral action and cooperation,” Matevosyan said.

The minister stressed Lake Sevan’s particular importance for Armenia’s natural environment and economy. He said the lake was an important freshwater reserve and played a major role both in tourism and fishing-related activities in Gegharkunik Province and in the economy of the country as a whole.

Matevosyan said the programmes being implemented aimed to conserve the lake’s biodiversity, ensure water quality and clean up its basin. He also highlighted the involvement of various state institutions and the public, stressing that environment ministries could not address these challenges alone.

Turning to the expected outcomes of COP17, the minister said it was too early to make a final assessment.

“I cannot speak about COP17’s final outcome because COP17 has not ended, and, in essence, it will not end on 30 October either. COP17 will continue, and its legacy will continue until the end of the next two years,” he said.

Matevosyan gave a positive assessment of the conference’s first week. He said that, given the packed agenda, delegates and the conference bureau had agreed to work on Saturday and Sunday as well. The minister expressed hope that productive work would continue during the second week, with the participation of high-level representatives.

The first week of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has demonstrated what multilateral cooperation can achieve.

COP17 President and Armenian Environment Minister Hambardzum Matevosyan said this at a press conference held during COP17.

He said the parties had adopted important decisions during the conference’s first week on biosafety, invasive alien species, gender issues, education and information exchange. Matevosyan also welcomed the financial commitments made by investors.

“Biodiversity conservation cannot remain the sole responsibility of environment ministries. It must become an integral part of the decisions shaping our economies, national budgets and investments. We must turn global ambitions into practical cooperation,” he said.

According to the minister, around 70 ministers, 40 deputy ministers, heads of international organisations and approximately 1,500 participants are expected to attend COP17’s high-level segment. Matevosyan said the Armenian presidency would present four key initiatives this week, aimed at protecting mountain and freshwater ecosystems, advancing effective area-based conservation, strengthening biodiversity monitoring through technology, and reforming harmful incentives while scaling up positive ones.

“One of COP17’s objectives is to establish partnerships and mechanisms that will deliver long-term results beyond the conference. We must translate the findings of the first global review of progress on biodiversity into a broader global policy response. This is the purpose of our proposed ‘Yerevan Pathway’: to connect the assessment of progress with practical solutions,” Matevosyan said.

He noted that important negotiations still lay ahead and that the Armenian presidency would continue working with all parties to overcome differences, build agreement and help achieve balanced outcomes.

“The first week showed that cooperation can deliver progress. The second week must show that political commitment can translate into concrete action. Ultimately, COP17 will be judged by the long-term results we achieve together after the conference, rather than the number of statements made in Yerevan. This is our responsibility, and this is the ambition of the Armenian presidency: to take action for nature,” the minister added.

The relationship between urban development and biodiversity in Armenia was discussed during the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17).

According to a statement from the Urban Development Committee, the committee’s Deputy Chairman Vahan Misakyan and Head of the Architecture Department Levon Arakelyan delivered presentations at a session entitled “Urban Development Procedures”, held at Armenia’s pavilion. They addressed integrated spatial planning as a means of conserving biodiversity and managing land-use changes, outlining the purpose of incorporating mandatory ecological layers into zoning plans and master plans. They stressed the importance of considering biodiversity at the urban planning stage.

A panel discussion followed, with Katja Schaefer, Interregional Adviser at the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), among the participants. Discussions covered prospects for digitalisation in urban development, the use of artificial intelligence tools and projects being implemented jointly with UN-Habitat.

Another panel discussion, organised in cooperation with the Urban Development Committee and UN-Habitat, focused on the pivotal role of cities and local authorities in jointly addressing biodiversity loss and climate change. Erfan Ali, Director of UN-Habitat’s Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, delivered a presentation.

During the panel discussion, Misakyan outlined the committee’s programmes and stressed the importance of developing an urban zoning plan for the coastal sections of Lake Sevan’s catchment basin, as well as Armenia’s general plan for settlement distribution and territorial organisation.

Participants highlighted the importance of jointly pursuing environmental, climate and land restoration objectives through spatial planning, housing provision, multilevel governance, financing and the use of data.

From climate change mitigation to environmental education and innovative solutions, the “Climate Change and Women” award ceremony united leading women in the field, highlighting their initiatives and contributions to biodiversity conservation. Winners in each of the seven main categories received idcoinsworth AMD 300,000 from Idram and IDBank.

According to Tatevik Vardevanyan, Head of the Communication and Sustainable Development Department at IDBank and Idram, the award ceremony provides the winners with an opportunity to bring their ideas to life.

“Supporting environmental initiatives is one of the priority directions of Idram and IDBank’s social responsibility. We are confident that the women recognized as winners today will become driving forces for positive change in their respective fields. The laureates will be able to use their awarded idcoins at around 30,000 sales points across Armenia where Idrampayment is available,” said Tatevik Vardevanyan.

Nune Sakanyan, Founder and Director of the “Women in Climate and Energy” NGO, emphasized the importance of such projects in recognizing and valuing the role and work of women.

“We were confident that women in Armenia are leading important initiatives to combat climate change, which often go unnoticed. Today, we are once again convinced of how significant women’s contributions are to overcoming climate challenges. Only through joint efforts can we achieve tangible results and secure a sustainable future. We are grateful to our partners who share these same values,” noted Nune Sakanyan.

idcoins are provided by IDBank. 1 idcoin = AMD 1

IDRAM AND IDBANK COMPANIES ARE SUPERVISED BY THE CBA

Armenian Environment Minister and COP17 President Hambardzum Matevosyan has expressed hope that, following border delimitation work, it will be possible to implement cross-border environmental projects with Azerbaijan and other neighbouring countries.

Matevosyan made the remarks at a press conference held during COP17, responding to a question about environmental problems in Shikahogh and the Jermuk area.

“I very much hope that we will have the opportunity to carry out cross-border environmental projects together, not only with the Republic of Azerbaijan but also with all our neighbouring countries. As noted, various funds offer such opportunities for countries to submit a single joint package,” Matevosyan said.

The minister added that, following border delimitation work, such cooperation could also provide an opportunity to address environmental losses sustained in previous decades and work towards their restoration.

Matevosyan described environmental damage as condemnable, stressing that nature knows no borders and environmental problems are not confined to individual countries’ territories.

He also said that, as an Armenian citizen and a political officeholder, he was guided by the overriding interests of the Republic of Armenia. In the context of relations with neighbouring countries, the minister stressed the importance of strengthening the peace agenda and advancing the border delimitation process.