13 Jun
NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM, NEWSARM

Opening ceremony of “Ahnidzor” guest house

On June 11, the opening ceremony of the “Ahnidzor” guest house took place in the Ahnidzor settlement of Tumanyan community of Lori region. The guest house was built with the support of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project. In Armenia, the project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the WWF Caucasus in Armenia (WWF-Armenia) in partnership with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.

“Ahnidzor” guest house, once the residence of Armenian painter Khachik Gharabekyan, has been renovated and turned into a unique guest house. With the “Artist Residency” concept, it offers guests unforgettable experiences, cultural events, and nature based experiences, merging nature and art seamlessly.

The event was attended by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in  Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli, the Director of WWF Armenia Karen Manvelyan, the Head of Tumanyan Community of Lori region, Suren Tumanyan, and the Administrative Head of Ahnidzor Settlement, Arman Matevosyan, as well as representatives of tourism companies.

The event started with a welcome speech delivered by the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli, who emphasized the importance of such initiatives’ existence in the regions of Armenia, as they contribute to the communities’ development by new jobs creation.

Ms. Läubli was followed by the director of WWF Armenia, Karen Manvelyan, who mentioned the importance of living in harmony with nature and the fact that similar to “Ahnidzor” guesthouses have conceptual fundamentals aimed at nature preservation.

Arman Matevosyan, the Administrative Head of Ahnidzor settlement, expressed hope that the only guest house in the community will become a favorite place for tourists in a short period of time.

The red ribbon cutting ceremony and greetings were followed by a tour of the guest house.

12 Jun
NEWSENG

The visit of Ursula Laubli, the Deputy Regional Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to the “Loreni” teahouse

On June 11, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Switzerland in Armenia and Deputy Regional Director of Swiss Cooperation South Caucasus Ursula Läubli accompanied by Alla Ghazaryan, the coordinator of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project and Mkrtich Ayvazyan, the Chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, visited the beneficiary of the project, “Loreni” tea house owned by Mariam Yeganyan IE.
The teahouse was constructed with the support of the Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) Project. The tea plants collected from mountains of Lori Region are dried directly in the tea room and served to the guests.
The Living Landscapes of Armenia for Market Development (LILA) project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and implemented by the WWF Caucasus in Armenia (WWF-Armenia) in partnership with Strategic Development Agency (SDA) NGO.
10 Jun
Uncategorized

Participation in the “Yerevan Wine Days” festival

June 7-9 with the support of 3 projects implemented by “Strategic Development Agency” NGO: Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2, Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia (MAVETA) and  Living Landscapes for Market Development in Armenia (LILA) several beneficiaries of the above mentioned projects  participated in the Yerevan Wine Days festival.

The booths of four companies: “Berd Dairy”, “Elada”, “Sis-Alp” and “Artcheese” presented a variety of cheeses made from natural milk. The other booths surprised the participants of the festival with a delicious assortment of “Poonj” preserves and aromatic “Berkri” and “Kria” brand wines obtained from high-quality grapes.

The booths were among the most crowded at the festival.

The “Yerevan Wine Days” festival aims to present the work of Armenian winemakers, promote the sale and export of wine, and show the entire palette of local wines

10 Jun
Uncategorized

Trainings for farmers’ skills and abilities development

During May-June, 2024 a series of trainings on gender equality, milk hygiene and seed production was organized for the farmers of RA Syunik, Shirak and Gegharkunik regions within the framework of the “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project. “Livestock Development in Armenia: South-North 2” project is implemented by Strategic Development Agency NGO with financial support of the Austrian Development Agency, the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation.

126 farmers participated in the trainings. During the training, the farmers were informed about the right milking technics and hygiene requirements, the actions aimed at improving the quality of milk and increasing the quantity of milk.

Additionally, participants of the trainings were also provided with consultancy on cultivating sainfoin, seeding techniques, and optimal seed cycling periods.

07 Jun
NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG, NEWSENG

Fostering Collaboration Between MAVETA Project Partner Employers and Colleges

On June 6-7, within the framework of the “Modernizing Vocational Education and Training in Agriculture in Armenia” (MAVETA) program, implemented by the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, a meeting was held in Tsaghkadzor to establish and strengthen cooperation between employers and vocational educational institutions.

More than forty MAVETA project partners participated in this two-day workshop.

In his welcoming speech, Mkrtich Ayvazyan, the Chairman of the “Strategic Development Agency” NGO, emphasized the organization’s successful experience in collaborating with representatives of the private sector and vocational educational institutions. He expressed confidence that mutually beneficial relationships would be established with the new partners of the project.

The participants were also welcomed by Monique Frey, Senior VET Consultant from HEKS/EPER, who noted that the Swiss model, recognized for its effective use of state resources, has been integrated into the training program for future apprentices.

Lilit Hovhannisyan, MAVETA Project Manager, presented an overview of the project’s main achievements and upcoming actions from its start in 2022 to the present. She highlighted the main prerequisites for cooperation, the roles of colleges and the private sector, and their responsibilities in introducing professions with a dual educational approach.

Following this, a working discussion was held under the coordination of Narine Abrahamyan, the project’s Business Consultant. Employers and representatives of vocational educational institutions exchanged information about their activities.

Lilit Avetisyan, a representative of Goris State Agricultural College, provided information on the professions implemented with a dual educational approach for the 2023-2024 school year. She shared experiences, achievements, and challenges in establishing cooperation with partners.

On the second day, discussions continued in group work sessions, focusing on the needs for capacity development and improvements in collaboration between the private sector and colleges.

At the end of the workshop, Business Consultant Narine Abrahamyan and VET Consultant Lilit Beglaryan summarized the joint action plan for the 2024-2025 school year, outlining the professions to be introduced.

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