EU4Youth study visit to Armenia fosters high-impact exchange on youth participation in policymaking

The EU4Youth initiative organised a study visit to Armenia from 5-7 May, bringing together representatives from youth civil society organisations and public institutions across Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine for an exchange on youth participation in policymaking. The visit involved some 20 participants, and facilitated intensive peer learning, dialogue, and experience-sharing across the Eastern Partnership region.

The visit took place in the context of a major national development – the recent adoption of Armenia’s Youth Policy Law, widely recognised as a milestone in institutionalising youth participation. The law’s development process involved contributions from youth organisations, government bodies, civil society actors, and over 500 young people through nationwide consultations. This participatory approach was supported by the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia and the Youth Organisation Union of Armenia.

Throughout the study visit, participants explored diverse national practices and engaged in thematic discussions on effective youth engagement in policymaking. The agenda combined interactive workshops with expert-led sessions, creating a constructive and collaborative environment. Participants consistently reported a high degree of satisfaction with both the content and format of the visit, noting the relevance of the topics discussed and the opportunity to exchange directly with peers and institutional representatives from across the region.

A key highlight of the visit was the participants’ meeting at the National Assembly of Armenia, where they discussed the Youth Policy Law directly with members of parliament and explored mechanisms for youth inclusion in legislative processes. 

The study visit also included field visits to the Alternative Youth Centre in Yerevan, one of Armenia’s leading inclusive, non-state youth spaces, along with visits to youth centres in Dilijan and Ijevan. These visits offered valuable insights into Armenia’s evolving youth infrastructure, the role of local youth organisations, and innovative models of youth work supporting marginalised and rural youth.

The initiative was organised by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in close cooperation with the Armenian Progressive Youth NGO within the framework of the ‘EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment’ project, co-funded by the European Union and the German government and implemented as part of the Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Project.