U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard R. Verma and President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturian inaugurated the U.S.-Armenia Local Democracy Forum in Yerevan, Armenia, on June 17. The Forum, the first of its kind, brings together American and Armenian mayors and regional, state, and provincial leaders for a two-day exchange on what it means to be a local leader in a democracy.
The US delegation was led by Ambassador (Ret.) Nina Hachigian, Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy at the US Department of State, accompanied by Sarah Morgenthau, Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs. The delegation also included Mayor Ellen Asatryan of Glendale, California, Samuel Assefa, Director of the State of California’s Office of Planning and Research, Mayor Paige Cognetti of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mayor Wilmot Collins of Helena, Montana, Mayor Victor Gordo of Pasadena, California, Kelsey Olson, Deputy Secretary at the Department of Agriculture of the State of Kansas, and Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer of the State of Los Angeles, California.
Armenian participants included Vanadzor’s Head of Development Programs, Foreign Relations and IT Lilia Davtyan, Yerevan’s Head of Foreign Affairs Department Davit Gevorgyan, Tavush Province Governor Hayk Galumyan, Stepanavan Mayor Armen Grigoryan, Economy Deputy Minister Armen Khojoyan, Syunik Province Secretary General and Chief of Staff Edgar Martirosyan, Gyumri Mayor Vardges Samsonyan, and many other Armenian local and national officials.
At the Forum’s opening session, local leaders announced their intention to form new municipal and regional partnerships between the City of Helena, Montana and the community of Stepanavan; the City of Scranton, Pennsylvania and the community of Armavir; and the State of Michigan and the Province of Tavush.
Following the Forum’s opening session, participants will discuss building democracy at the local level through cooperation with civil society and independent media, transparency and accountability, election integrity, constituent participation and other areas. On the second day of the Forum on June 18, delegates will travel to Gyumri, meet municipal officials, visit the Gyumri Technology Center and hold in-depth discussions on topics such as IT development, fostering public-private partnerships, responding to climate change and promoting tourism.
Participants will also hold meetings in their partner city and state in the coming months to share ideas for deepening their dialogue and cooperation, with the aim of building strong partnerships that enhance mutual understanding, good governance, economic growth, and peace and prosperity for the people of Armenia and the United States.
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