On February 4th, 2022 YIC NGO hosted an international conference at Gyumri Technology Centre in the frames of the closing event of the EU funded Erasmus+ long-term project “Cities of YOUth: Increasing the role of young people in the development of tourism infrastructure”.

The conference hosted 20 participants from Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Croatia and Czech Republic, as well as local guests from State and Local authorities, NGO, Tourism and Business field representatives and active young people.

The conference launched with opening remarks from YIC President Artur Najaryan, Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia Sisian Boghossian, deputy governor of Shirak region Karen Manukyan and deputy mayor of Gyumri Davit Arushanyan.

The results of the project “Cities of YOUth” were presented by the project coordinator Valya Martirosyan which was followed by a panel discussion “Youth and Tourism: Impact of COVID-19” featuring Gayane Ayvazyan – Public Relations specialist from the Tourism Committee of RA, Yasha Solomonyan – expert in Sustainable Business Development at UNDP Armenia and director at Armenian Association of Professional Tourist Guides, Alexan Ter-Minasyan – tourism field expert, director of Berlin Art Hotel and Honorary Consul of Germany, Brigitte Mehlmauer-Larcher – team leader of EU-LEAD4Shirak project of the Austrian Development Agency and Artur Najaryan – youth field expert and president of YIC NGO.

In the second part of the conference the participants of the project from all countries had the chance to present some of their business ideas developed in the result of the project to the professional jury for feedback and advice. The jury was represented by Gyumri Technology Centre project manager Bella Harutyunyan, coordinator of Shirak Tourism Development and Research Center Naira Grigoryan, director of BeOn Business Academy Tigran Minasyan, director of Florence Restaurant Karen Harutyunyan and coordinator of Croatian LAG Vallis Colapis youth centre Petra Cule.