On November 22th, 2018, on the initiative of Ijevan mayor V. Ghalumyan, Mr. Karapetyan, President of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy visited YSU Ijevan branch.
The purpose of the visit was to conduct a discussion on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the activities of the Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy.
The discussion was attended by Mayor of Ijevan V. Ghalumyan, other high-ranking representatives, YSUIB Acting Director A. Tsutsulyan, other representatives of professorial and administrative staff, mainly students of the Faculty of Humanities.
Agenda:
- When and where the office of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy was established?
- What is its mission?
- Which are the main spheres of its activity?
- What works have been done so far?
Particularly, it was mentioned that European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, non-governmental organization (EAFJD) was founded in 2000, in Paris.
Since 2002, EAFJD office has been moved to Brussels (Belgium). The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy, EAFJD, is a grassroots organization, representing the European citizens of Armenian origin. It is the main interlocutor promoting the Armenian issues in the European Union and international organizations, such as the Council of Europe and the OSCE. Along with its traditional advocacy activities, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy organizes a series of awareness-raising events for the European community, including conferences, with participation of prominent international scientists, discussions, photo-exhibitions, film watching.
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy coordinates the activities of the Armenian Federation in 13 European countries. Armenian Federation Committees operate in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, the UK and Spain.
The main areas of activity of the European Armenian federation:
- EAFJD advocates for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and its condemnation by Turkey and European Parliaments
- Protection of the fundamental rights of the Artsakh people and elimination of imposed isolation, coordination of international observation missions in the electoral processes of Artsakh
- Strengthening and deepening of Armenia-EU relations
- Protection of Middle East Armenians rights
- Protection of the rights of the Armenian population in Javakhq region
It was emphasized that the important sphere of the European Armenian Federation is the strengthening and expansion of Armenia-Europe relations. In this connection, the Armenian National Committee (ANCs) considers important the signing of a comprehensive and expanded partnership contract between Armenia and EU on November 24 2017.
Through the joint efforts of the European Armenian Federation and the Armenian mission in the EU, the EU-Armenia Friendship Group was formed in the European Parliament in 2013. In 2015, after the European Parliament elections, the friendship group with Armenia has been reorganized. Now the group consists of more than 50 deputies and aims to strengthen cooperation between the parties.
Having close ties in the European Parliament, the European Armenian federation supports Armenian delegates in the Euronest and PCC parliamentary formats. The Federation is also active in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, cooperating with the Armenian delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly.
“Vahan Hovhannisyan Educational Work Program” initiated by the European Armenian Federation, launched in 2018, promotes Armenia-EU relations. Within the frameworks of the project, Armenian youth, who have passed the selection round, have the opportunity to gain practical skills and knowledge at the European Armenian Federation and get acquainted with EU structures, especially the daily activities of the European Parliament.
The trainer added that in order to make the European Armenians’ voice heard, the European Armenian Federation was organizing a “Congress of European Armenians” in Belgium every four years, which was a platform for Armenian and European politicians, diplomats, religious leaders, academic circles, non-governmental organizations, representatives of Armenian communities, individuals to discuss modern challenges and ways to overcome them. The last congress was held on October 18-19, 2018, in Brussels.
The European Armenian Federation also cooperates with the Armenian offices of the Armenian National Committee, including the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the Armenian National Committee of Australia, the Armenian National Committee of the Middle East, the Armenian National Committee of South America.
During the discussion, YSUIB students of “History” Department addressed the president of the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy their questions related to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s compensation, the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, issues related to our historical homeland: Western Armenia and received answers. The questions were mainly related to the issues that were still in process as both Mr. Karapetyan emphasized in his closing speech and YSUIB Acting Director A. V. Tsutsulyan in his speech addressed to the trainer.
