Mardamej Social Innovation Camp 2020

Speeches Shim

Thursday, October 1, 2020

USAID/Armenia’s Media for Informed Citizen Engagement (MICE) and Civic Engagement for Local Governance (CELoG) projects coordinated with the Eurasia Partnership Foundation to host the 2020 Mardamej Social Innovation Camp.  The Camp brings together young social activists, many of whom are participants at USAID/Armenia’s InfoTun “information houses,” and innovative thinkers from across Armenia.  Through the Camp, participants work together to develop small-scale projects that could provide solutions to the specific challenges the participants identify.  Project ideas include: anti-corruption, decentralization, social sector reform, and human rights.  This year, six projects were selected as winners: 1) awareness raising on women rights living on the bordering communities of Tavush marz; 2) a multimedia project on disappearing professions and crafts in the Shirak marz; 3) creation of a "smart” pedestrian crossing in a school areas in Ararat marz and public awareness on traffic rules; 4) street art using famous heroes from Armenian tales to raise public awareness on legal rights in Syunik marz; 5) mapping of community libraries in Gegharkunik region and digitization and creating a new, innovative, entertainment center in the community libraries; and 6) engaging youth in exploring innovative agricultural solutions for the Shenik community in Armavir marz.  The annual event lasted three days, with the first day featuring sectoral briefs by experts, followed by a full day of brainstorming and project development, and a third day of finalizing and pitching projects for seed funding.  Due to COVID-19, the Camp was held virtually this year.