'Public speaking and negotiations' training in Armenia

A training for young people on 'public speaking' and 'negotiations' took place on Saturday 21 October in Yeghegnazdor, Armenia. This training is part of a series of five trainings in different Armenian provinces, organised by the SD Platform Armenia with the support of FMS. Involving a new and young generation within political and democratic processes is an important goal - this is often not yet the case in Armenia.

This series follows previous training sessions delivered by FMS trainers to local trainers affiliated with the SD Platform - of which one organised in spring 2023. The Armenian trainers can now put their learned skills into practice, passing this on to new members of the SD Platform. They receive support for this from FMS trainers and can fall back on their knowledge and expertise.

The SD Platform

The SD Platform is a civic initiative that aims to unite young people around the tenets of social democracy. The goal of the SD Platform is to create a community of young activists, students and professionals who can work together to build a socially just Armenia. The platform is not affiliated with any political party and seeks to raise awareness of issues such as social justice, equality and democracy. Local representation plays an important role in the Platform's development. These trainings can be instrumental in this, to further build this social democratic movement in different places in Armenia.

As FMS, we are impressed by the resilience and motivation of the SD Platform members - its continued to organise activities even after the difficult time this summer. The war and humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan's invasion has made a great impact on the Armenian people and politics. Its impact will continue to affect Armenian society in the coming months and years. In these times, it is important to continue to support the Armenian democratic and progressive movement, and the FMS will certainly continue to do so.