1 / 19

The Program launched in 2020 during the rather hard period for Armenia. During the pandemic, war period many young participants like you have been next to the National Assembly. I am sure that we’ll effectively cooperate, and you’ll have your fruitful contribution in the work of the National Assembly: on February 13, welcoming the participants chosen by the Parliamentary Internship and Fellowship Program 2023, the RA NA Chief of Staff-Secretary General Davit Arakelyan said.

The ten-month program is financed by the USAID and is implemented as a result of cooperation between the National Democracy Institute (NDI) and the National Assembly.

In the last 4 years, the participants of the Program were given opportunity to get acquainted with the parliamentary work and to be engaged with them. They supported the factions, the Standing Committees, the deputies and the NA Staff, making researches, legislative analyses, press monitoring. The interns also prepared press releases, helped to manage the social platforms, as well as took part in the sittings of the Committees and the NA plenary sittings. They also assisted the organizational work of the community meetings.

The trainings helped the participants of the program to improve their professional skills. Most of them accepted the proposals of working in the National Assembly.

“Very interesting trip is waiting for you. It is difficult to believe that from 2020 until today 80 young people took part in this Internship Program. The Program passed the pandemic, war, snap elections. And when we speak with the participants., they always underline with gratitude that the most valuable achievement is deemed to be friends. Providing opportunities for professional development, we surely realize that the friendship that is established within the framework of this Program will help you a lot in reaching successes in the future. Our goal is to be assured that the Program will be effective. Taking part in the Internship Program, you join the big group of the interns of the National Democratic Institute,” the Senior Resident Director for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Armenia Laura Nichols said.

At the preparatory meeting with the interns, the NA President’s Assistant David Sargsyan, presenting the main directions of the parliamentary internship, noted that the Program gives wider opportunities to get acquainted with the parliamentary processes, as well as to carry out also responsible assignments.

The Counselor on Parliament Development for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) Rinor Beka spoke about the parliamentary research approaches, methods as well as the legislative investigation. He noted that the goal of the Program is to familiarize with that knowledge, in future for carrying out main and fundamental functions. The National Democratic Institute implemented such programs in parliaments of about 60 countries. According to Rinor Beka, this is a good way to make the parliaments open for the youth.

The participants of the Program also got acquainted with the Eastern Europe experience of the Parliamentary Internship Programs, the peculiarities of the parliamentary researches and legislative analysis.

The Head of the Public Relations and Communication Department Laura Antonyan, presenting the functions of the Department, highlighted the publicity and the principle of equally covering the activities of three political factions functioning in parliament.

She touched upon the Parliamentary Week Program series, the parliament official website, introducing the upcoming reforms and the priorities of the Department’s work.

In the coming ten months, the chosen 20 young people will take part in the regular trainings and online webinars organized by the National Assembly aimed at the development of their professional capabilities.