Yerevan, Armenia
- June 23, 2023
APRI Armenia and AGBU have organized a public conference on Friday, June 23, 2023, at Sciences Po in Paris on the theme: “Armenia at the Crossroads: Peace and Prosperity at the Edge of Europe.”
This conference brought together policy, diplomatic, academic, and civil society leaders to discuss peacebuilding and sustainable development at a critical time in the region.
Quotes that inspired us:
In order to live, a nation must always be able to know
its past, judge it, and take responsibility for it.
I believe in the fundamental rights of every human
being. The right to life, to liberty, to security, to
education, to healthcare, to equality before the law—
these are not mere ideals; they are the foundations of a
just and compassionate society.
Simon Veil
Forum Agenda
8:30
Words of Welcome
- Lara Setrakjian, President, APRI Armenia
9:15
Morning Keynote I: Advancing Peace and Security in Turbulent Times
With the South Caucasus at a vital crossroad between war and peace, we host a conversation with Nathalie Loiseau, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defense, to reflect on the importance of EU foreign policy goals for the region and how long-term investments in diplomacy can lead to greater stability for all.
- Nathalie Loiseau, Member of the European Parliament; Chair, Subcommittee on Security and Defense
- Moderator: Anahide Pilibossian, Vice President of Strategy and Development, APRI Armenia
14:45
Making Diplomacy Work in the South Caucasus
An analysis of the diplomatic process in the quest for peace in the South Caucasus, including the impact of the EU observer mission, the role of the US and Russia in a complex geopolitical context, and prospects for large-scale development investment as a critical driver for enhancing regional security.
- Armelle Charrier, International Affairs Commentator, France 24
- Laure Delcour, Associate Professor in International Relations and EU Studies, Sorbonne
Nouvelle University - Benyamin Poghosyan, Senior Research Fellow, APRI Armenia
- Moderator: Taline Papazian, Director of Armenia Peace Initiative (API); Lecturer at
Sciences Po Aix / Ecole de l’Air
10:30
Morning Keynote II: Trade as a Vector for Peacebuilding
How can trade be a vector for peace without the smaller country getting eaten for lunch? We discuss the prospects for economic growth and trade as a confidence-building measure with Arancha González Laya, the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, and the current Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po.
- Arancha González Laya, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain; Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po
- Moderator: Tatiana der Avedissian, Head of Business Development, World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group
11:00
Coffee Break
11:15
How to Protect Human Rights and Civilian Lives in Nagorno-Karabakh
With many uncertainties ahead for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, we hold a solutions-based discussion on the protection of human rights and human security in this historically autonomous region.
- Andrew Forde, Visiting Fellow, Irish Centre for Human Rights, University of Galway
- Michael J. Strauss, Professor of International Law and International Relations, The Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies
- Jeanne Sulzer, International Human Rights Lawyer at Impact Litigation; Law Lecturer at Sciences Po; Head of International Justice Commission, Amnesty International, France
- Nina Shahverdyan, Teacher, Herher Village, Nagorno-Karabakh
- Moderator: Sheila Paylan, Senior Research Fellow, APRI Armenia
16:35
Armenia’s Conservative Outreach: On Foreign Policy and Religious Freedom
Armenia’s recent diplomatic and military challenges dovetail with the threat to religious freedom worldwide. This discussion will evaluate how Armenia can position itself as a cornerstone of the international religious
freedom agenda to craft a more effective foreign policy.
- Ambassador Sam Brownback, Co-Chair, International Religious Freedom Summit, Former US Senator from the State of Kansas, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
- Moderator: Lara Setrakian, President, APRI Armenia
16:35
Morning Keynote III: France, Foreign Policy & Peacebuilding
A conversation with Ambassador Jacques Faure, former Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, assessing French foreign policy in an age of regional upheaval and examining the role that France can play in forging a lasting peace in the South Caucasus.
- Ambassador Sam Brownback, Co-Chair, International Religious Freedom Summit, Former US Senator from the State of Kansas, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
- Moderator: Lara Setrakian, President, APRI Armenia
12:45
Networking Lunch and Muisucal Guest
13:45
Energy Security and Climate Solutions as a Pathway to Peace
With the growing success of solar and other renewables in Armenia, this small country could become a substantial exporter of clean energy to Europe within our lifetimes. How can we accelerate the green energy transition in Armenia as part of a long-term vision for stable, sustainable prosperity in the South Caucasus? A discussion of clean energy adoption and diversification, as well as the prospects for energy trade as a potential vector for peacebuilding.
- Irina Ghaplanyan, Senior Climate Change Specialist, The World Bank
- Azad Kibarian, Senior Executive Vice President, Veolia Italy, Africa and Middle East
- Armén Sedefian, CEO, SOLGÉS ENERGY
- Hayk Shekyan, Founder and CEO, Shtigen LLC – Solar Solutions
- Moderator: Lara Setrakian, President, APRI Armenia
14:30
Clean, Green Armenia: Advancing the Business of Sustainable Agriculture
Armenia is transforming into a more sustainable, agritech-powered nation. We take a close look at sustainable agriculture as both a major business opportunity and a window for investing in climate resilience, food security, environmental management, and job creation in the region.
- Vardan Urutyan, Rector, Armenian National Agrarian University
- Anahit Markosian, Founder, Head of R&D and Product Development, Nairian Skincare
- Aimee Keushguerian, Founder & Owner, Zulal Wines; Managing Director, Keush
- Victoria Aslanian, CEO & Co-Founder, ArmAs Winery
- Moderator: Lara Setrakian, President, APRI Armenia
15:15
Coffee Break
15:30
Creating Future Value: Transformative Technologies as the New Geopolitics
A discussion of advanced technology developments in Armenia, with potential for success that far exceeds the country’s small size and population. How can Armenia serve as a partner to France and Europe as a whole in key fields of deep technology, such as AI and quantum computing? What are the partnership opportunities that support the EU’s digital sovereignty agenda through high-value strategic initiatives?
- Gevorg Mantashyan, First Deputy Minister, Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the Republic
of Armenia - Robert Vassoyan, Tech Entrepreneur and Investor, Vassoyan Conseil
- Moderator: Yervant Zorian, Chief Architect, Synopsys; Chair of APRI Armenia
16:00
High Tech Armenia: Accelerating the Success of an Ecosystem
We hear from the technologists and entrepreneurs behind Armenia’s high-tech success stories to understand the interventions and enabling factors that will facilitate the faster, more effective development of this key sector in the years to come.
- Ashot Vardanian, Founder, Unum
- Marina Aghayan, Head of Additive Manufacturing Group, Institute of Chemical Physics
- Seda Papoyan, Founder, FemInno & Girls in Tech Armenia; Executive Director, Relq Educational Foundation
- Moderator: Nerses Ohanyan, Co-Founder, HyeTech
16:45
Farewell and Future-Ready
- Anahide Pilibossian, Vice President of Strategy and Development, APRI Armenia
Speakers
APRI Armenia Rules
APRI Armenia is committed to creating an inclusive environment for dialogue in an atmosphere of mutual respect. It is our duty and obligation to maintain an exchange of ideas free from harassment, discrimination, and threatening or disrespectful behavior.
We expect that all speakers and participants will abide by these guidelines.
APRI Armenia reserves the right to refuse admittance to or remove any person from its events at any time. This includes, but is not limited to, attendees behaving in a disorderly manner or failing to comply with our community guidelines. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form.
We hope you will enjoy the company of the distinctive speakers, facilitators and
participants who are present at our events. We convene in the spirit of mutual
understanding and with an appreciation of what each individual brings to the whole conversation.
Artists in Residence
Artists in Residence
APRI Armenia is pleased to welcome the Yerevan Ensemble – Artyom Minasyan, Ruben Kniassian and David Abrahamyan – as Artists-in-Residence of the 2023 APRI Paris Conference. Bringing the traditional music of Armenia to a modern audience, the group blends the sounds of the duduk, shevi, zurna, blul, and dhol in delightful renditions of classic Armenian songs.
Photo Gallery
Session Recordings
