EVN Talks

Armenia's Human Rights Defender Kristinne Grigoryan speaks to EVN Report about the consequences of Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the violation of the rights of the people of Artsakh as a result of that blockade and the legal instruments that Armenia can and has implemented to counter the consequences.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has been working in Armenia for the past three decades focusing on developing the country’s financial sector, supporting development of value-added industrial companies, improving the business environment and more. Head of EBRD’s Yerevan Resident Office, George Akhalkatsi, speaks to EVN Report about the organization’s activities and plans for the future.

This year, Azerbaijan, along with seven other countries, is under review by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva. Tamara Voskanian is the co-founder of the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) and lawyer Talin Hitik is heading up the CFTJ’s delegation in Geneva, presenting the organization’s report based on primary evidence on Azerbaijan’s ongoing violations during the CERD hearing. They spoke to EVN Report about their ongoing efforts to bring to the world’s attention the crimes committed by Azerbaijan and the impact this will have on the Armenia v. Azerbaijan case at the International Court of Justice.

An accomplished businesswoman and philanthropist, Edele Hovnanian, president of the H.Hovnanian Family Foundation speaks to EVN Report about the projects she has supported, incubated and launched in Armenia, including Birthright; her father, Hrair Hovnanian’s legacy and the importance of having a vision and being a fearless dreamer.

David Zakarian, author of “Women, Too, Were Blessed: The Portrayal of Women in Early Christian Armenian Texts” speaks with EVN Report’s editor Maria Titizian about the representation of women in 5th century Armenian literature and historiography; whether women were catalysts in the Christianization of Armenia and more. Zakarian is an associate faculty member in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford.

The war in Ukraine has caused a wave of migration to Armenia from the countries involved in the conflict. Among them are many Armenians coming from the large diaspora communities those countries host. Ishkhan Saakian, the communications manager at Repat Armenia joins us today to speak about their initiatives to help those Armenians settle in Armenia.

EVN Report’s Editor-in-Chief Maria Titizian speaks to the new section editor of Creative Tech Njdeh Satourian about the importance of placing Armenia on the global tech landscape and to illustrate that Armenia, despite its critical challenges, is a country of potential, with the necessary logistics, human resources and desire to become a regional tech hub.

Is Russia’s escalation of tensions with Ukraine really about Ukraine or is Putin trying to reassert Russia as a regional hegemon? What does this mean for Europe and the South Caucasus? Political Scientist Nerses Kopalyan explains.

Back in 2020, the Paradigma Education Foundation published the “Guidebook on History Teaching: Why, How?” for teachers in Armenia the purpose of which is to develop active historical thinking. This year, they launched another innovative tool for teachers—a gender history pack—called History #5. Co-founder Narek Manukyan speaks to EVN Report about the idea, the journey and the purpose of this new tool.

Seda Grigoryan, the communication coordinator of the DAR Foundation for Regional Development and Competitiveness speaks to EVN Report about the foundation’s new initiative called the Gagarin Project. It aims to create a sustainable model of community development in the villages of Ddmashen, Zovaber, Tsaghkunk, Geghamavan, Varser and Gagarin in the Gegharkunik region of Armenia.