ADB, IDeA, GYUMRI PROJECT HOPE CO-ORGANIZE GYUMRI DEVELOPMENT FORUM
09-12-2015 18:28:55 | | Press release
GYUMRI, ARMENIA (9 December, 2015) — The Asian Development Bank’s Armenia Resident Mission, in conjunction with the IDeA Foundation andGyumri Project Hope Foundation organized a forum on the current state of the city and plans of action for its future.
The Gyumri Development Forum, held at the Gyumri Technology Center of Enterprise Incubator Foundation on 8 December, brought together national government representatives, local authorities, international and local experts in development, civil society and international organizations, and other stakeholders, to discuss economic, social and business development in the city and to seek solutions for speeding up infrastructure upgrades.
ADB is supporting Armenia’s efforts to improve its major cities, including Gyumri, by upgrading road and transport infrastructure. IDeA Foundation is partnering with ADB as a stakeholder for infrastructure and tourism development, education and country brand promotion. Gyumri Project Hope Foundation is currently developing a master plan for the city’s revival over the next decade. The forum aims to boost collaboration amongst different stakeholders to contribute to the revitalization and growth of Gyumri.
“We have worked closely with IDeA Foundation, Gyumri Project Hope and Gyumri Municipality to organize this first Gyumri Development Forum which seeks to boost multilateral efforts for the development of the city,” said David Dole, Country Director of ADB’s Armenia Resident Mission. “Gyumri is strategically well-located with a lot of potential but it has suffered over the past decades starting with the country’s devastating earthquake in 1988, then the decline in its industry and infrastructure. The challenge is to help the city build a viable economy which would sustain growth and improve the well-being of its population.”
“We are happy to co-organize the first Development forum in Gyumri. IDeA Foundation and GPH committed to sharing our partner networks and relevant experiences. We are pleased to see GPH capitalized on the connections and cooperates with ADB in leading the workshop initiative, and we are confident this endeavor will turn into a tangible result: development of Gyumri. We have experience in implementing such cross-sectional projects and are ready to invest that knowledge and effort to support GPH further, and continue collaboration with ADB and other donor organizations”,- said Sergey Tantushyan, Deputy CEO at IDeA Foundation.
“GPH mission is not one of simplicity, which is why it is critical to have strong partnerships with other organizations, such as ADB and IDeA Foundation, that share a common vision - the revival of Gyumri. The cooperation between our organizations is of great significance, and for this we thank them. Of course all our initiatives and endeavors would not be possible without direct participation of Gyumri citizens. We will work hand-in-hand with the citizenry to achieve our goals. Without them all the work we do will be in vain. We look forward to Gyumri’s future with all of our partners”,- said Shant Kirmizian, GPH Executive Director.
Since the earthquake and fall of the Soviet Union, Gyumri has seen a decline in infrastructure but the city possesses vast potential for future development. Gyumri Development Forum serves as an open platform where participants can offer proposals for the sustainable development and revival of the city.
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