The Regional Studies Center (RSC) has launched a series of youth projects aimed at empowering youth and supporting their active engagement in public policy and governance. The objectives of the youth projects include:

• promoting civic activism and the concept of “responsible citizenship” among youth;
• creating a framework and platform for young people to meet and interact with their peers from different parts of Europe, discussing common problems and coming up with common solutions;
• sharing best practices and experiences, and learning from each other;
• motivating young people to act as opinion-makers and opinion-shapers in their local communities;
• promoting such core values as democracy, the rule of law, equality, tolerance and peace among the young generation.

The RSC will conduct youth projects on several different levels, including:

• local projects, consisting of our series of “youth forums,” roundtable discussions on current issues, conferences, informational & educational seminars, and debates.
• regional projects, including conferences, summer and winter schools, and special trainings for young professionals. These projects will be aimed at promoting regional cooperation and supporting other youth initiatives focused on a regional dimension.
• International projects, which will include training courses, seminars and youth exchanges. The main aim of these projects is to reveal the bigger picture, to share experience and cooperate with each other. These projects will be conducted in the frameworks of the European Commission’s Youth in Action programme and the Council of Europe’s European Youth Foundation.

Both the local and international youth projects will be conducted in different regions of Armenia, which will strengthen and maximize local impact and provide a chance for young people living in the regions to become more involved, engaged and motivated in civic activism and local issue advocacy.