A high-level meeting titled “Reinforcing Democracy in the Face of Contemporary Challenges” was held within the framework of the Yerevan Dialogue 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia’s accession to the Council of Europe.
Discussions focused on the impact of ongoing conflicts, the increasing use of force in international relations, challenges to international legal frameworks, and declining trust among global actors.
Keynote remarks were delivered by Robert Abisoghomonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Stefano Piedimonte Bodini, Director of the Private Office of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, who underlined the need to reinforce democratic institutions and uphold fundamental values under current conditions.
The panel discussion, moderated by Loukas Tsoukalis, brought together Sari Rautio, Director General at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Sona Ghazaryan, Member of Parliament of Armenia, Angeliki Kourri, Policy Officer at Oxygen for Democracy in Cyprus, Simon Papuashvili, Program Director at the International Partnership for Human Rights in Belgium, and Camille Grenier, Executive Director of the Forum on Information and Democracy in France.
Participants stressed that current global trends require stronger commitment to democratic governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The exchange also highlighted the role of international cooperation and institutional mechanisms in ensuring long-term stability and resilience.
The discussion reaffirmed the importance of collective efforts in protecting democratic systems and adapting them to the challenges of an increasingly complex and uncertain international landscape.
