Armenia
British Alumni Association of Armenia (BAA)
The Armenian John Smith Fellows were the driving force behind the creation of the British Alumni Association of Armenia which now has over 150 members.
The BAA is a non-profit, membership-based organisation that seeks to leverage the skills and experience of young Armenian specialists from varied academic and professional backgrounds to speed economic, political and social development in Armenia. As the name suggests, all BAA members have the shared experience of having completed academic work in the United Kingdom. BAA's goal is to assist these returning professionals to best utilise their newly gained skills for the benefit of all, based on the varied skills and interests of its members, BAA has set itself a broad remit of social objectives, including:
- Human Rights & Regional Integration
- Poverty Alleviation & Migration Issues
- Democratisation & Civic Education
- Public Administration & Anti-Corruption Activities
- Business Promotion & Information Technologies
- Environmental Protection
BAA's leadership understands that a key area in which the organisation can add value is to focus its support on and highlight the needs of under served Armenian populations throughout the Caucasus. As a young NGO, BAA has had a number of critical successes in this area, including implementing important projects in the Samtskhe-Javakheti Region of Georgia and the Tavush Region of the Republic of Armenia. These projects have specifically focused on improving conditions for Armenian populations in previously under served areas.
JSMT News
Trustee Lord McCluskey travels to Yerevan to promote 2008 Fellowship Programme
On 12th September 2007 Lord McCluskey travelled to Armenia's capital Yerevan to promote the work of the John Smith Memorial Trust and to encourage applications for the 2008 Fellowship Programme. Read More
Kenneth Munro heads roundtable discussion in Europe, attended by John Smith Fellows in Armenia
On 16th January 2007, Kenneth Munro, Deputy Chairman of the John Smith Memorial Trust Advisory Board, travelled to Armenia in order to promote the work of the Trust and to interview applicants for the 2007 Programme. Read More
2004 Fellow Poghos Shahinyan launches Road Safety Campaign in Armenia
On Thursday 11 May 2006, 2004 Fellow Poghos Shahinyan officially launched the National Road Safety Council Armenia (NRSC) and their ‘Think Before You Drive’ road safety campaign in Yerevan. Read More
Articles
Democratization and the Conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh
by Tigran Mkrtchyan, 2006 Fellow
This essay explores the relationship between democratization in Armenia and Azerbaijan and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
First published in the Turkish Policy Quarterly Vol 6, No.3 (Fall 2007)
Post-Election Prospects for Armenian-Turkish Relations
by 2006 Fellow Tigran Mkrtchyan
The author took part in the John Smith Memorial Trust Fellowship Programme in 2006. He is currently a lecturer in International Relations at the European Regional Academy. He was formerly Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia in 2005-2006. His article with the above title is published in:- Foreign Policy Bulletin, July 2007, No. 5 TESEV-Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundations, Istanbul.
The views expressed in the article are those of the author. The Trust expresses no views on the content of articles written by former Fellows but is pleased to be able to encourage debate on issues of the kind discussed in this article.
Towards Social Justice: Pension Reform in Armenia
by 2005 Fellow Arkadi Khachatryan
Following the break-up of the former Soviet Union, a newly independent Armenia chose the course of democratic development and European integration. Like other countries in transition, it faced the challenge of developing the complex of relationships and institutions intrinsic to a market economy.
Armenian Democracy
by Levon Martirosyan, Lawyer and 2000 Fellow, Armenia, and Nane Achemyan, Journalist.
'This is the 13th anniversary of Armenia's independence. Since 1991, the country has passed through a process of significant political and economic reforms touching most aspects of Armenian life...'
