“Actions of CSF Armenian National Platform Before and After the EaP Vilnius Summit” – November 8-10, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (47 in number) listed representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in RA, Armenian state structures, NGOs-members of the Armenian National Platform of Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF ANP). Main issues discussed: EU-Armenia relations in the light of the upcoming third Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius on November 28-29, 2013; prospects of the EaP policy in the current geopolitical context; actions and expectations of CSF ANP before and after the EaP Vilnius Summit; impact of presidential elections in Azerbaijan and Georgia on democratization and integration processes of the region; Customs Union vs. Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area: comparative analysis of integration models; CSF ANP announcements on current political and social affairs; CSF ANP organizational matters.
“Ethical Reporting on Issues of Public Interest” – November 6-7, 2013, Yerevan, international conference organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Deutsche Welle Academy. The participants (47 in number) were representatives of international organizations, state structures, expert community, media and journalistic associations in Armenia, experts from Georgia and Moldova. Main issues discussed: ethical aspects of reporting on EU-Armenia relations; the ethics of civic activism coverage (Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and international practice); copyright and new media (Armenia, Georgia Moldova and international practice); prospects for media self-regulation in the current conditions of technical progress.
“Tasks of the Eastern Partnership CSF Armenian National Platform in the Run-Up to the Forum’s Meeting in Chisinau” – September 20-22, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (33 in number) represented NGOs, members of the Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. Main issues discussed: possible frameworks of EU-Armenia future cooperation after the announcement about Armenia’s intention to join the Customs Union; priorities and aims of the EaP Forum’s Meeting in Chisinau on October 4-5, 2013; studies, carried out by CSOs within the EaP framework; activities of the CSF Armenian National Platform in 2013; informal civic activist movements in Armenia; tasks of Armenian National Platform at the EaP CSF Meeting in Chisinau.
“Journalism Ethics and Media Self-Regulation in Traditional Media” – June 23-25, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Deutsche Welle Academy. The participants (40 in number) were representatives of media and journalistic organizations of Armenia, experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Great Britain. Main issues discussed: bounds of ethical reporting on matters of public significance and interest; introduction and development of the self-regulation mechanisms in the Balkans: the experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina; protection of copyright in traditional media; international practice of raising public awareness and promoting the media self-regulation tools; ethics of reporting on criminal litigations and investigation; introduction of media self-regulation and co-regulation models in the light of recent developments in the British Press Complaints Commission.
“Journalism Ethics and Media Self-Regulation in Online Media” – June 21-23, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Deutsche Welle Academy. The participants (40 in number) were representatives of media and journalistic organizations of Armenia, experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany. Main issues discussed: introduction and development of the self-regulation mechanisms in the Balkans: the experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina; problems related to copyright protection in online media and their possible solutions; German Press Council’s practice of dealing with complaints regarding online media; peculiarities of elections coverage by online media and in social networks; media self-regulation and co-regulation models of the British Press Complaints Commission; international practice of raising public awareness and promoting the media self-regulation tools.
“Building Partnership between the CSOs and Government in Frames of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum” – June 16-18, 2013, Gyumri, Armenia, seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (30 in number) represented government agencies and NGOs, membering the Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum. Main issues discussed: recent developments and current situation with the Eastern Partnership policy; economic component of the EaP Road Map and cooperation with CSOs; building of structural dialogue and cooperation between government-CSOs in frames of the EaP Road Map monitoring; EU Integration Index for the EaP countries; tools of cooperation between civil society and governmental sectors under the EaP Road Map actions; implementation of EaP Road Map actions in fields of public administration and local self-government; methodology of the monitoring and evaluation of fulfillment of the EaP Road Map.
“The Current Situation and Perspectives of State Regulation and Self-Regulation of Armenian Media” – May 31 – June 2, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club under “Alternative Resources in Media” project, supported by USAID. The participants (41 in number) were members of the Media Ethics Observatory (MEO), heads, representatives of media outlets and journalistic organizations. Main issues discussed: recommendations to amend the Code of Conduct of Media Representatives with regard to issues of privacy; recommendations to supplement the Code of Conduct with ethical norms for online media; ethical aspect of media coverage of the 2012-2013 electoral cycle; recent judicial practice on defamation cases: experience of the Information Disputes Council; activities towards raising public awareness of the MEO; organizational issues of the MEO activities.
“Promoting Cooperation between ‘Traditional’ Civil Society Organizations and Non-Formal Advocacy Groups” – May 24-26, 2013, Aghveran, Armenia, seminar, organized by Yerevan Press Club with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The participants (45 in number) represented NGOs, membering the Armenian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, and non-formal civic activist groups. Main issues discussed: activities of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF); current situation of the EU Eastern Partnership policy; problems of the development of Armenian civil society; role of local observers at the 2012-2013 elections; non-formal civic activism as a new phenomenon in the development of Armenia’s civil society; opportunities for cooperation between EaP CSF Armenian National Platform and non-formal advocacy groups.
