Strengthening Civil Society Leadership and Biodiversity Governance Ahead of COP17 in Armenia

This October, Yerevan will become the center of the global conversation on biodiversity, as Armenia welcomes the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 

In cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation Yerevan Office, "Ecolur" Informational NGO launched a new project: Strengthening Civil Society Leadership and Biodiversity Governance Ahead of COP17 in Armenia.

The goal is to strengthen the role of civil society and community participation in Armenia's engagement with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity at COP17, through capacity building, advocacy, and networking. 

Through this project, Ecolur will build a regional network of civil society organizations from Armenia, the European Neighborhood, and Central Asia; prepare accessible guides and information packages on biodiversity frameworks for activists and communities; train residents of the Jermuk and Yeghegnadzor communities  - directly affected by environmental threats on how to engage with the COP17 process; and bring civil society voices into the conference itself, including a dedicated workshop and a formal civil society Resolution submitted to the COP17 Committee.

The project will also produce a documentary film -"Road to COP17 Through the Eyes of Civil Society" - ensuring that the stories of affected communities and activists reach audiences far beyond the conference halls.