With the assistance of the Austrian Development Agency, UNICEF is implementing the “Adolescents for Climate Action” program together with the RA Ministries of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Environment, Territorial Administration and Infrastructure. ESCS Deputy Minister Araksia Svajyan attended the meeting of the Governing Council today.

Welcoming those present, the ESCS Deputy Minister noted that a number of important reforms aimed at ensuring quality education are currently being implemented in the field of general education.

“One of the priority tasks for us is to have such an educated and law-conscious generation, which, with its knowledge and abilities, will be able to contribute to mitigating possible disasters due to climate change, reducing risks, and taking care of the environment. We are introducing new standards at all levels of education, in which the formation of awareness of environmental impact also plays an important role. All this should be realized not only within the framework of formal education but also within non-formal education. In this regard, we highlight the support of international partners in all implemented programs,” said Araksia Svajyan.

The aim of the meeting was to confirm cooperation between partners within the framework of the “Adolescents for Climate Action” program, to present the annual report of the program, to discuss the need to revise the deadlines and plan the upcoming activities.

It should also be noted that several key successes were recorded in 2022: more than 400 teachers were trained on the topic of climate change and the implementation of educational and project work, a climate risk assessment was carried out at the local level in more than 99 settlements, information campaigns on climate change were conducted, etc.

UNICEF Representative in Armenia Christine Weigand also emphasized the importance of the participation of the Government of Armenia in the implementation of the program. In her speech, she noted that innovative solutions with partners to counteract natural disasters related to climate change can become a guideline.

Director of the Armenian Office of the Austrian Development Agency Klaus Kapper, RA Deputy Minister of Environment Gayane Gabrielyan, “Adolescents for Climate Action” program coordinator Mkrtich Dallakyan, UNICEF Climate Change Officer and Head of the DRR programs Vigen Shirvanyan, representatives of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure and other participants also attended the meeting.