On November 1st, TUMO participated in “Realization of the Right to Education In the Face of the Crisis Situation in Artsakh” forum, organized by the “Civil Initiative for the Right to Education (CIRI)” and member organizations.

As one such organization, TUMO also participated in the panel discussions of the forum, represented by none other than our CEO, Marie Lou Papazian. She briefed attendees on the TUMO for Artsakh Teens (T4AT) initiative, the opportunities it provides, as well as how it, along with the efforts of our TUMO Armenia campaign, can address the logistic hurdles we’ve seen for our TUMOians forcefully displaced from Artsakh in continuing their TUMO education. We need to do everything in our power to uphold our children’s rights to a smooth integration into society and their right to an education — a plight that is essentially an effort to uphold their human rights.

Speakers included representatives of the state — namely Araxia Svajyan, Deputy Minister Education and Culture —, the public sector, and member organizations like AGBU, Teach for Armenia, the Ayb Education Foundation, COAF, and others. The panel topics they discussed were: “Challenges and Programs in the Field of Education as a Result of the Forced Displacement of Armenians From Artsakh” and “Obstacles in Ensuring the Involvement of Teaching Staff and Students Forcibly Displaced From Artsakh and Suggested Solutions.”

This unique format harboring open dialogue and cooperation was the first in a series of conferences on the right to education being upheld for children forcibly displaced from Artsakh and the strategies and joint measures aimed at solving obstacles that stand in the way.