Veronique Hulmann, Deputy Head of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) CIS Division accompanied by Sibylle Schmutz, Junior Programme Officer and Derek Mueller, SDC Regional Director for the Caucasus, visited Civilitas on October 18. Zara Allahverdyan Senior National Program Officer accompanied the delegation.
During their meetings with Civilitas staff, the SDC representatives discussed specific areas of cooperation within the sphere of rural economic facilitation.
Civilitas Founder Vartan Oskanian talked about his meeting two years ago with Switzerland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, when they discussed Armenia’s rural development. He explained that within the Civilitas Foundation Democracy and Development Initiative, Civilitas will focus on rural economic facilitation programs to help villagers live a self-reliant, dignified life in Armenia’s villages, particularly those in the hardstruck border areas.
Civilitas Director Salpi Ghazarian noted that in Armenia, Civilitas will cooperate with institutions like the Armenia Fund to bring comprehensive programs to the villages, and regionally, will seek partners in neighboring countries to affect effective cross-border programs.
Vahe Aghabegians, Civilitas board member presented areas of cooperation with Diaspora communities and international organizations. He expressed hope that there would be ways to partner with international organizations like SDC as well as local Diasporan communities like those across the border in Iran and Georgia.