Armenia 2020

[Ashot]

Armenia 2020

The Future of Armenia

 

Description

 

Armenia 2020 is a scenario-building initiative that focuses on the identification of alternative development models for the Republic of Armenia until the year 2020 and the elaboration of development scenarios for the country. The strength of the project is the mix of participants with diverse viewpoints. The project's aim is to bring together committed and accomplished Armenians from Armenia and all over the world.

 

GOALS

 

* To contribute to Armenia's future strategic assumptions, development formulating through collaborative discussion teams

 

* To create a wider shared view of future possibilities, through public deliberation on potential long-term development models for Armenia

 

* To create robust decisions in the face of uncertainty - "Scenarios for Armenia 2020"

 

SCENARIO PLANNING: WHAT IS IT?

 

The process is structured in several phases. It is highly interactive, intense, and imaginative. The initial phase usually involves challenging the mental maps that shape one's perceptions, and then searching for relevant information, often from unorthodox sources. We all see certain things, and have blinders on about others. Our perceptions are shaped by our past successes and failures that may no longer be relevant. A good scenario planning project expands leaders' peripheral vision and forces them to challenge their own assumptions.

 

Scenario planning is intellectually rich and challenging. But it's not a dry academic exercise. It's a conversation, involving human beings who want to learn together. When it works, a group of people create something together-an analysis, a vision, a language for describing the world, a plan of action- that makes them more committed and able to work together effectively.

 

MOTIVATION

 

Motivation for this initiative rose out of the observation that in this age of ever accelerating progress and constant change, people rarely have the time to stop and think about the direction of society and their role in that process. While some individuals may contemplate the newest changes and trends for the next month, and perhaps even the next year, the vast majority does not consider the changes and trends that will emerge in the decades ahead.

 

METHOD

 

The idea of creating scenarios for businesses, corporations and countries has proved to be quite successful. Other countries such as Japan, Ireland, South African Republic and Russia have effectively undertaken similar scenario planning exercises. The organizers and the participants believe that this project addresses a genuine objective need for a serious study of Armenia's potential.

 

VIDEO

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Participants

 

* Concerned Armenians from Armenia

 

* Armenians from Armenian Diaspora communities-from Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, the USA, and Russia

 

* Distinguished high-caliber Armenian professionals with strategic vision and competence

 

* Participants with diverse backgrounds and views on Armenia's future to compliment each other

 

* Researchers and facilitators, thinkers and problem solvers, creators and innovators

 

* Action focused people who are confident and enthusiastic about the concept of the project

 

* Individuals who are willing to contribute to this vision and to help shape Armenia's future

 

Organizers welcome participation in the project by representatives of both Armenian governmental institutions and opposition, as indispensable authority resource on the current political, economic and social environment within the country.

 

Coordination board

 

• Raffi Festekjian
• André Andonian
• Andrew Mkrtchyan
• Noubar Afeyan
• Pierre Gurdjian
• Robert von Rekowsky
• Ruben Vardanian

 

For more details regarding the Coordinators please let me know.

Team

 

• Artashes Kazakhetsyan - Project Director
• Zhirayr Edilyan - Events Manager
• Narine Hovhannisyan - Print Media Assistant
• Ruzanna Hayrapetyan - Executive Assistant
• Anush Hovsepyan - PR Officer

Edited June 14, 2008 by Ashot