In 2022, we took a moment to reflect on our work. Despite the challenges in our society, we found inspiration and fresh ideas that kept us moving forward. This Annual Report showcases our dedication, creativity, and teamwork during this year.
Improving Communication and Trust
EPF worked on enhancing the capacities of the Constitutional Court of Armenia through the “Enhancement of the Communication Strategy and Professional Media Relations Capacities of the Constitutional Court of Armenia” project, supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The project aimed to strengthen the court’s communication abilities and build public trust in the judiciary.
As part of this effort, we developed sustainable and long-term visibility products, including video content and a brand book. We also crafted a comprehensive communications strategy. Moreover, the project focused on enhancing the professional capacity of the Constitutional Court’s staff, involving the Justices and key personnel in training activities covering public relations, communication, and the application of international court precedents. It also welcomed experts from the Netherlands who shared their experience with the Judges of the Court.
Non-violence
Over the years, EPF has developed many signature products that distinguish the organization and make it unique. Among these products, we can highlight not only the trainings, workshops, and social innovation camps with a unique methodology developed by the organization’s team, but also a series of publications under the EPF University heading.
Among these publications, we want to make special mention of the “Dictionary of Criminal Speech.” This publication is the first of its kind that addresses this issue in Armenian. It was important because, in today’s Armenia, the language of criminals, inherited from the times of the Soviet Gulag camps, has been shown to affect the behavior of our society.
This dictionary helped us understand where these words and expressions come from, their history, and how they affect and influence behavior. As the authors, human anthropologists Aghassi Tadevosyan and Nikol Margaryan explain, learning of and research on criminal culture may reduce or prevent violence in society, including in schools and the military, as well as instances of domestic violence. The dictionary can be accessed via the EPF website. The publication is in Armenian, with a brief English abstract.
Strategy building
In October 2022, we reached an important milestone by completing development of our strategy for the years 2023-2027 and sharing it with our major partners, donors and policy contacts. We remain committed to addressing issues that no other organisation addresses, connecting people who otherwise wouldn’t meet, working on policy changes to make Armenia more just and developed, assisting communities which are in duress, and promulgating critical thinking across society.
Empowering Networks
In December 2022, we concluded the year by organizing a meeting where people from various civil society groups in Armenia came together. These were civil society organizations supported by our subgrants from the project we implemented, funded by Swedish Sida. We supported 48 subgrants over a two-year period. Participants all shared a common goal of encouraging societal changes through civil society efforts. They engaged in productive discussions, which generated new ideas for the next periods of their activities. As one attendee stated, “I felt the need to think, analyze, and only then propose new actions.”
The projects we undertook had tangible impacts and influenced decisions and policies at various levels. Civil society groups in Armenia became stronger and brought about positive changes. As we compile this Annual Report, we are reminded that our work is not merely a series of events but a collective endeavor to create a more peaceful and inclusive future. We express our gratitude to everyone who supported us in our endeavors in 2022, and we eagerly anticipate new achievements in 2023.