YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS. The Applied Policy Research Institute (APRI Armenia) and the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) organized a conference titled Armenia at the Crossroads: Peace and Prosperity next to Europe on June 23.

The seminar was held at the Paris Institute of Political Studies.

Leading academicians, scholars, politicians and diplomats, civil society representatives participated in the event to discuss issues related to building peace and sustainable development.

In opening remarks, APRI Armenia President Lara Setrakian presented the main narratives of the conference, the challenges facing Armenia and opportunities for withstanding them.

The first segment of the conference focused on diplomatic efforts for establishing peace in South Caucasus, as well as issues related to human rights protection in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).

In this context, MEP Nathalie Loiseau’s speech received acclaim. The Member of the European Parliament led a delegation of the European Parliament’s Security and Defence Subcommittee on a visit to Armenia before the seminar.

Xavier Bertrand, President of the regional council of Hauts-de-France, was also a speaker at the event. Bertrand recently conducted a visit to Armenia together with other officials to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, where he emphasized the need for exercising the right to self-determination.

The second segment of the conference focused on prospects of increasing the possibilities provided by sustainable agriculture, transformative technologies and eco-system in Armenia. A number of Armenian entrepreneurs shared their experience during the conference.

First Deputy Minister of High Tech Industry of Armenia Gevorg Mantashyan also delivered remarks, pointing out the existing opportunities in Armenia, and the ministry’s efforts for ensuring competitiveness and creating a country of the future.

APRI Armenia Vice President Anahit Piliposyan called on the Armenian Diaspora to be more actively involved in building an Armenia based on innovative solutions, taking into account the current geopolitical conditions.