On 30 June, the “Resilience from the Start: Celebrating Local Leadership, Partnership and Impact” project closing event took place. The project was implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2024 to 2026, with the financial support of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and in cooperation with the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia. 

The initiative aimed to strengthen the resilience of refugees and host communities through innovative and gender-responsive service design and delivery models, community-driven solutions, and investments in sustainable infrastructure.

H.E. Ms. Tatjana Panajotović Cvetković, Ambassador of Serbia to Armenia, Ms. Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, Mr. Arnak Avetisyan, Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Artur Martirosyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, and Ms. Hrachuhi Katvalyan, Head of the UN and Sustainable Development Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia delivered opening remarks at the event. It brought together representatives of government institutions, local self-government bodies, development partners, diplomatic missions, civil society organizations, community servants, and field experts.

During the event, the project’s key achievements were presented, including results related to the engagement of women and refugees, the creation of multifunctional public spaces, improvements in energy efficiency, and enhanced access to water. Participants also heard community testimonies on co-design and service assessment processes and watched videos highlighting the project’s impact and achievements.

Expressing her gratitude to the Government of Serbia for its financial support, Ms. Natia Natsvlishvili emphasized that resilient communities cannot be built through one-dimensional interventions. They require integrated solutions that improve services, strengthen institutions and create opportunities for people to participate in shaping their own future. She reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that investments deliver sustainable, long-term benefits through stronger institutions, inclusive governance, and resilient communities.

Under the project, a total of 35 micro-projects were implemented, focusing on the improvement of community services, the transformation of public spaces, the development of irrigation infrastructure, and the introduction of renewable energy solutions. These interventions included the creation of multifunctional public spaces in the communities of Masis, Vagharshapat, Ijevan, and Pambak; enhanced access to community cultural services in Areni; the introduction of a municipal service assessment tool; and the development of irrigation and solar energy infrastructure in several settlements across Tavush and Lori regions.

The potential number of beneficiaries of the multifunctional public spaces is approximately 19,000 people in the Ijevan community, of whom 53 percent are women; around 10,000 people in the Areni community, more than 50 percent of whom are women; over 10,000 people in the Masis community, with women accounting for more than 60 percent; more than 7,000 residents in the Pambak community, of whom over 57 percent are women; and approximately 8,000 people in the Vagharshapat community, more than half of whom are women.

The reservoirs constructed in the Hovnanadzor and Achajur settlements provide irrigation for a total area of 520 hectares. In Hovnanadzor, the infrastructure includes a daily regulated water reservoir with a useful capacity of 8,900 m³ and 450 m delivery pipeline, while in Achajur, a daily regulated water reservoir with a useful capacity of 5,600m3 and 1,000 m delivery pipeline were constructed.

Solar energy systems were installed at various facilities, including systems with a total capacity of 124 kW at 14 residential houses, and systems with a total capacity of 99 kW at 13 public facilities across several settlements in Tavush region and in the Pambak community of Lori region.

These actions contributed to strengthening community resilience, fostering social cohesion, and creating more inclusive and sustainable development opportunities for both refugees and host populations.

A key component of the project was the participatory co-design process, through which local government representatives, women, youth, refugees, and other community members jointly identified priorities and developed solutions tailored to local needs.