Roundtable Discussion at AUA Brings Attention to the Future of Inclusive and Resilient Schools in Armenia
3 min readYerevan, Armenia – On April 17, 2015, the AUA’s Acopian Center for the Environment (ACE), in partnership with the RA Ministry of Urban Development and the United Nations Children’s Fund in Armenia (UNICEF), held a roundtable discussion on seismic safety, energy and resource efficiency, and inclusiveness of schools.
High level officials, representatives of a number of international organizations, members from civil society organizations, school representatives, engineers, architects, and other stakeholders were invited to the discussion, which was moderated by Mr. Tigran Tovmasyan, Disaster Risk Reduction Programme Officer at UNICEF in Armenia, and by Mr. Alen Amirkhanian, Director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment.
During the event, RA Minister of Urban Development Mr. Narek Sargsyan noted: “The safety of children and education personnel at Armenia’s public schools is of paramount importance. The seismic safety of our schools needs to be ensured.” He also pointed out that the optimal use of resources, such as energy, water, and materials, are part of Armenia’s building codes and building-related legislation. “Any new schoolhouses we build should ensure optimal use of resources in addition to offering a seismically-safe environment,” he said.
The roundtable discussion was organized in light of the fact that the government of Armenia is exploring the possibility of securing loans from international financial institutions for renovating and building new school facilities throughout the country. The discussion offered Armenia an opportunity to initiate discussions on what these facilities should offer to meet the education needs of our children in the 21st century.
Ms. Henriette Ahrens, UNICEF’s representative in Armenia, added that the newly built schoolhouses should take into consideration the rights of all children, including accessibility and inclusiveness. “Armenia is steadily moving towards an all-inclusive education system with the objective of protecting each and every child’s right to education, which requires a number of adjustments into the school environment and facilities,” noted Ms. Ahrens.
AUA President Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian added, “The 21st century school facilities should themselves serve as pedagogical tools, teaching students about using energy and water optimally and generating energy from renewable sources, creating an environment where children learn about life-cycles of materials and health impacts of materials.”
Partners note that the discussion of these topics was timely and will help Armenia decide on the steps needed to meet its obligations with respect to social inclusiveness, seismic safety, and resource efficiency.
Armenia’s recent successes in designing and building a few high-profile school facilities that incorporate international best practices in environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive design indicate a growing in-country capacity to do such work.
The round table discussion was featured live on Civilnet TV – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMNQgs4o6I0
The discussion was featured in several news channels noted below:
http://www.mta.gov.am/hy/news/item/2015/04/17/45622/
http://hetq.am/arm/news/59713/inchpes-karucel-nerarakan-ev-dimakayun-dproc.html
http://armef.com/news/category/country/article/article_1429366441
Mr. Narek Sargsyan, Minister of Urban Development talks about Resilient Schools
Mr. Artem Asatryan, Minister of Labor and Social Issues
Mr. Suren Karayan, First Deputy Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms talks about School as a Cornerstone for Armenia’s Development
Mr. Manuk Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Education and Science talks about Inclusive
Schools and Armenian Legislation
Mr. Haykaram Mkhitaryan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Emergency Situations
Ms. Henriette Ahrens, UNICEF’s representative in Armenia talks about Comprehensive School
Safety and Children’s Rights
Dr. Armen Der Kiureghian, President of the American University of Armenia, talks about
Resilient Schools: Investing in Education with Multiplier Returns
Mr. Armen Alaverdyan, President of Unison NGO talks about Inclusiveness
Mr. Alen Amirkhanian, Director of the AUA’s Acopian Center for the Environment, presents Resilience through Resource Optimization
In the middle – Mr. Zaven Khlghatyan, MTAES “Seismic Protection Western Survey” SNCO, Head of Centre for Seismic Safety of the Structures