Jean-Christophe Gayrand (Head of Operations Section) EU Delegation to Armenia and Mayor of Berdavan Ararat Gabrielyan

Berdavan Event

Training of Trainers

Three Intensive Days in Berdavan

23.11.2012 17:30

The EU funded SOS culture project initiated new series of activities to raise its efficiency. Several activities took place from 16th to 18th of November, 2012 in Berdavan. First, SOS culture youth clubs’ coordinators had training sessions on effective communication, new methods of teaching, intercultural communication and staff management. The ToT covered the content and training skills required to effectively accomplish the objectives of the EU funded SOS Culture Project. The aim of this training was to provide instruction that enables the trainers and youth club coordinators to conduct training courses in the SOS Culture Youth Clubs basing on innovative teaching methods. As they mentioned after the training they have learnt a lot and decided that each youth club would develop its own symbol, slogan and hymn.

On 18th a crucial event for the project took place which combined the formation of SOS Culture Steering Committee and the signing of the Commitment. The Commitment was signed by all stakeholders, the FPWC programme director Barbara Siebert, the Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Armenia Jean-Christophe Gayrand, dvv international- Georgia Country Office representative Giorgi Jikia, the director of the Research on Armenian Architecture Foundation (RAA) Samvel Karapetyan, the majors of Berdavan and Aktala and by all the school directors and local coordinators. Having signed the commitment all sides agreed that they would actively preserve all cultural assets regardless their ethnic, religious and cultural affiliation. Moreover, they should prevent vandalism against cultural heritage and fires in adjacent territories. The commitment also included provisions on sharing and distributing information on the possible acts of vandalism. As the FPWC programme director Barbara Siebert noted: “The formation of a SOS Culture Steering Committee will ensure that the local stakeholders are aware of the relevance of the project for cross border cultural dialogue as well as for community development. This committee will contribute to the creation of local ownership and sustainability for the SOS Culture Project”. The Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Armenia Jean-Christophe Gayrand stated that the EU is based on cultural diversity and that program which is implemented within the scope of the European Neighborhood Policy aims at the preservation of cultural diversity beyond the EU’s borders.

The event ended with the official inauguration of the new SOS Culture room in the Berdavan Municipality. The Head of Operations of the EU Delegation to Armenia Jean-Christophe Gayrand also participated in the opening ceremony of the new training room in Berdavan and cut the red ribbon. The renovation of the room was sponsored by VivaCell-MTS, who is the general partner of the FPWC. The municipality of Berdavan contributed to the SOS Culture project by providing the room in the town hall for free. The 70 members of the SOS Culture Youth Club in Berdavan who were willing to participate in youth club activities will continue their training in the renovated, comfortable and spacious room. Some of the Berdavan’s youth club members were present during the opening ceremony and sang an armenian song. During the informal part of the event the stakeholders could talk to all project partners in order to receive a deeper insight in the SOS Culture Project.