Human rights youth camp unites 60 displaced and local youths from Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
As part of the “Human Rights with and for Refugees” project supported by the European Union, the Democracy Development Foundation and the Armenian Progressive Youth NGO organized camps bringing together 60 young people, both locals and those displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, residing in the regions of Armenia and Yerevan.
The aim of the camp was to support the self-organization and proactive engagement of displaced and local youth, build their capacities in human rights -particularly refugee rights- advocacy, and promote their active involvement in community life as advocates and changemakers. The camp on the topic of human rights and leadership was held in two sessions in July 2025 in Kotayk region.
The camp closing event took place on July 31 in Aghveran attended by H.E. Vasilis Maragos, the EU ambassador to Armenia. The ambassador discussed with the youth the EU-Armenia cooperation and prospects for developing relations, answered to questions from the audience.
“Supporting young people — especially those who have experienced displacement —is an investment in a more inclusive and resilient society. Their voices deserve to be heard —and their determination deserves to be matched with support. Civic and human rights education is essential to empower youth to become active, informed citizens who can drive positive change. The EU will continue to stand by the Armenian youth as partners in shaping a future grounded in dignity, rights, and participation,”– stated the Ambassador Maragos.
By participating in the youth camp 60 young people had the opportunity to learn about human rights protection mechanisms and develop skills in leadership, teamwork, project management, and active participation in community life.
”Lack of knowledge and understanding, integration difficulties result in fear, anxiety, and anger. The goal of our project and this camp is to transfer knowledge and debate skills to refugee youth with so they can independently, clearly and confidently articulate their issues and find solutions,” – said Naira Sultanyan, Director of the Democracy Development Foundation.
In the course of a multiday camp, workshops, lectures, practical exercises, and team building activities on topics of human rights, leadership, democratic participation, use of media tools and civic engagement were organized. Participants met with civil society activists, human rights advocates and experts in the field.
“We hope that during the camp we succeeded in creating an environment, where displaced and local youth were able to unite, acquire new skills and develop initiatives aimed at protecting their rights and addressing community problems. We are confident that the ideas shaped in the camp, the motivation of participants and the networks built will become a solid foundation for their activism and ongoing collaboration,” – said Grigor Yeritsyan, the President of the Armenian Progressive Youth NGO.
“The camp was like a key that opened new doors of knowledge for me. During these 6 days I was surrounded by care and made new friends. I became aware about my rights,” – said Davit Israyelyan, a participant displaced from Nagorno Karabakh .
“The camp gave me proactive and progressive friends, confidence and new knowledge, which I had not learnt from any other course. Here I realized that becoming an agent of change requires patience and everyday work. Very often we become disheartened when facing stereotypes, but the camp taught me not to give up on my ideas,” – stated Ruzanna Khachatryan, a participant from Kotayk region.
Participants of the camp will have an opportunity to receive grants of up to 4,000 euros (in AMD equivalent) to implement their own human rights related initiatives.
The youth camp was implemented by the “Armenian Progressive Youth” NGO within the scope of the ”Human rights for and with refugees” project. The project is implemented with the support of the European Union by Democracy Development Foundation, Estonian Refugee Council, Coalition to Stop Violence Against Women, and Commit Global. The project focuses on empowering refugees from Nagorno Karabakh by providing essential knowledge about their rights, addressing vulnerabilities, and improving access to user-friendly resources on their entitlements and opportunities.