Yerevan hosts "Development Leaders Forum - 2024: Intellectual  Leadership" forum 

ArmInfo.On November 8, Yerevan hosted the three-day "Development Leaders Forum - 2024:  Intellectual Leadership" - an innovative international project for young people from all regions of Armenia, the purpose of which is the comprehensive development of leadership skills.

Opening the forum, organized by the humanitarian foundation  "International Institute for the Development of Communications" (MIR  Foundation, Armenia) in partnership with the National Research  Institute for the Development of Communications (NIRC, Russia) and  the Yerevan State Institute, NIRC Deputy Director for Research  Valentina Komleva noted that, unlike last year's Gyumri and the first  Development Leaders Forum chronologically, this event focuses on  intellectual leadership and the creation of intellectual clubs.

In her opinion, this, in turn, will not only increase the involvement  of young people in club activities, but can also become an incentive  for the further innovative and cultural development of Armenia. "We  are confident that our Forum is very relevant, very useful and will  contribute to the intellectual development of the intellectual  potential of young people," she summed up.

And the Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin, whose greeting  was read by the representative of the Ministry of Education and  Science of the Russian Federation Mikhail Vozhdaev, recalled that the  Strategy for International Youth Cooperation of the CIS Member States  until 2030 was approved by the Council of Heads of State and provides  for the creation of conditions for the successful socialization and  comprehensive development of youth, strengthening mutual potential  and friendship.

"For Russia, of course, the foreign policy priority is to increase  cooperation with the CIS states on the principles of equality,  respect and consideration of each other's interests. In this regard,  we support the holding of the Forum, which brought together talented  youth of Armenia. We are confident that in a difficult situation,  such intellectual efforts are especially in demand that are focused  on effective solutions to common problems in various areas of life.  The key to success is inherent in the young generation, thanks to an  active life position, energy, focus on results and the promotion of  fresh, non-standard ideas," the Russian ambassador noted in a message  to the participants of the event.

The prospects for the development of Armenian-Russian cooperation  were also discussed by A. Member of the Armenian Parliament Alexey  Sandykov, who noted that a fairly good tradition has already  developed to gather within the walls of YSU and discuss the prospects  for further development and cooperation, especially in the  Armenian-Russian vein. 

"The very name of the forum already contains the main message -  intellectual leadership. And what is intelligence? It is education,  upbringing, a system of certain values, human qualities, and this  means that if intelligence leads, then we will have a future. But  most importantly, in addition to state and labor relations, we are  united by fraternal centuries-old historical ties that create fertile  ground for current relations.  Further, everything will depend on  you," Sandykov expressed his conviction. In turn, the director of the  National Research Institute for the Development of Communications  Vladislav Gasumyanov pointed out the importance for young people of  acquiring deep and comprehensive modern knowledge, active  participation in public life and civic undertakings, the ability to  lead people to feats and accomplishments and the creation of  conditions for the protection of the system of basic values.

"We know that Yerevan State University is doing very serious and  profound work to train modern specialists and educate them in the  spirit of patriotism and civic engagement. This is very valuable work  and we, for our part, are ready to further develop cooperation to  solve the same problems. We would like the new, next generation of  young Armenian leaders to carefully treat the unique traditions of  Russian- Armenian friendship. We would like them to skillfully  navigate the political realities, be able to reflect the challenges  of modern times, be responsible for the fate and future of the  brotherly Armenian people," Gasumyanov emphasized. In this regard, he  noted that the forum was prepared jointly with Armenian colleagues  from the standpoint of understanding the seriousness and complexity  of the tasks of forming true leaders among the youth who will lead  Armenia along the path of progress and comprehensive development in a  generation.

One of the organizers of the project from the Armenian side, the head  of the Center for Russian Studies at Yerevan State University Aram  Safaryan, wished the young participants fortitude and to become  bearers of very serious convictions, since the young people gathered  in the hall will be leaders of Armenia in various fields in 15 years.  "You will all have to go the way we went, falling and getting up. And  this project is designed to develop the willpower of future leaders,"  Aram Safaryan encouraged the youth. Another of the Armenian  organizers of the forum, the head of the International Public  Organization for Humanitarian Development Arman Ghukasyan, emphasized  that youth participation in dialogues with experienced experts and  scientists on the key topics discussed here is very correct and  productive. According to him, this is due to the fact that such  meetings allow self-organization in order to become full-fledged  members of a large community of friends and like-minded people, as  well as worthy citizens and useful people for Armenia.

The forum was attended by representatives of government agencies,  politicians, diplomats, public figures, and experts. Among the  honored guests were the representative of the Ministry of Education  and Science of the Russian Federation Mikhail Vozhdaev, deputy of the  National Assembly of Armenia of the 7th convocation Alexey Sandykov,  vice-rector for science of the Russian-Armenian University Parkev  Avetisyan, vice-rector for academic affairs of Yerevan State  University Elina Asriyan, chief specialist of the Department of  External Relations of the branch of Moscow State University named  after M.V.  Lomonosov in Yerevan Arpine Toneyan.

The project brings together young leaders from all regions of  Armenia. Participation in the forum is a unique opportunity to become  part of a dynamic program that includes master classes, lectures,  trainings and team games aimed at developing intellectual leadership,  mentoring and project activities, get acquainted with successful  examples of intellectual leadership among the youth and develop a  project for their own youth club together with experts in the field  of scientific, educational, youth and media activities.  During panel  meetings, the participants of the event will present projects that  will be evaluated by the competition committee. The best of them will  receive support from the forum organizers for their further  implementation. And at the end of the forum, all participants will  receive certificates confirming their active participation in this  significant educational and development process. "Development Leaders  Forum" is an innovative international project for young people from  all regions of the Republic of Armenia, the main goal of which is the  comprehensive development of leadership skills. The forum is being  held in Armenia for the second time. The first one was held in 2023  in the city of Gyumri and was dedicated to the development of ideas  for the development of the territories of Armenia. The winners, with  the support of NIIRK, opened two youth centers, one of which is  located in the village of Lukashin in the Armavir region, the other  in the village of Berdavan in the Tavush region.

This year, the best presentation projects of young leaders will  receive support from the forum organizers for their further  implementation. And upon completion, all participants will be awarded  certificates confirming their active participation in such a  significant educational and developmental process.