Fall 2009

Critical decisions on foreign policies affect people’s lives just as decisions on domestic policies do. ICHD continually focuses on bringing people to the table of negotiations and critical decisions on foreign policy, conflict resolution and security, peace and stability in the region.

Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued two protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries and development of relations signed by Armenia and Turkey under Swiss mediation on August 31. Both documents triggered controversial discussions and disputes in both societies turning into a topic of “hot” debates. To channel the voice of the citizens to decision makers on this very sensitive issue, through open public discussion, ICHD, supported by the USIAD, has launched initiative to expose perspectives of civil society to the decision makers and to enable the consideration of people’s opinions, concerns and expectations in this critical process in late September 2009. ICHD’s initiative moved isolated beneficiaries from the margin of the process closer to its hearth and enabled finding valid and viable solutions to a vital issue for the country through a participatory process.

2005 – ongoing

One of the major areas of ICHD’s work is promoting the participatory democracy in Armenia and in the region. Here ICHD works with national and local decision makers, building their capacity to engage the citizenry through various channels; promotes environment conducive for the participatory decision making process; develops and implements mechanism that enable the effective participation of citizens in the decision making process at the national and local levels. The Town Hall Meeting mechanism, one of the most effective and vibrant models of facilitating public participation in decision making process both in local and expert communities. The Town Hall Meeting (THM) mechanism creates meaningful opportunities for citizens to participate in public decision making.

2006 - 2010

Very few initiatives have brought together Armenians and Azeris around the table of discussions on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh (NK) conflict since ever. While the decision makers are engaged in effort to resolve the NK conflict at the negotiation table, the people seem to stay alienated from the issue that has vital impact on each and every family in both Armenia and Azerbaijan. People in both societies needed effective mechanisms to get their voices heard by those who led the negotiations and strike the deal. One of the most effective mechanisms enabling people to speak loudly and being heard by the decision makers is the ICHD's Town Hall Meeting mechanism. We have used the THM mechanism to get the opinions and perspectives of the people in Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Azerbaijan on peaceful resolution of the NK conflict through 2006-2010...