Preservation of Lake Sevan is primary task of every RA citizen -  Deputy Minister

ArmInfo.  On May 12, 2023, the strategy presentation event of the Lake Sevan Protection Platform  organized by "Blejan" NGO within the framework of the "Environmental  Protection of Lake Sevan" (EU4Sevan) project in Gavar organized   strategy presentation event of the Lake Sevan Protection Platform  created with the support of the "Environmental Protection of Lake  Sevan" (EU4Sevan) project, which is co-financed by the European Union  and the German government.

This is stated in the message of the organizers of the event.  

The Lake Sevan protection platform, which has been operating for six  months in the Gavar community, aims to form environmentally  responsible behavior of citizens and change their attitude towards  the environment, as well as to reduce and as much as possible solve  the production and public purpose, agricultural sewage/wastewater of  households in Gavaraget and Sevan. the question of the mining  process. The purpose of the platform is to bring together  representatives of the public and private sectors, as well as civil  society, taking joint responsibility and joint efforts to reduce  pressure on Lake Sevan.   The deputy minister welcomed the participants. "Preserving and  protecting Lake Sevan as a freshwater basin of national and regional  importance, restoring the ecological balance, and ensuring the normal  development and sustainable use of the ecosystem of the Lake Sevan  basin is our primary task today. Every citizen of the Republic of  Armenia should form and take root in the idea that he is also  responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of Lake Sevan from school  age. Involvement of state and local self-government bodies,  large-scale educational and awareness-raising activities, etc., I  hope that this platform will become the tool and the way by which we  will approach the formation of that thinking. The Ministry of  Environment is always ready to support the platform's activities and   smooth operations." 

RA Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meimaryan, GIZ EU4Sevan team  leader Christian Henschel and the project team, representatives of  the public and private sectors of Gegharkunik marz, as well as civil  society, as well as other officials, stakeholders, and residents of  Gegharkunik mars communities, were present at the event.  

During the six months of the Platform's activity in the Gavar  Community, the participants discussed and familiarized themselves  with the current situation of Lake Sevan, the primary sources of  pressure, and the risks caused by the Lake's current condition and  their consequences for various sectors. As a result, thematic working  groups were formed, which, as a result of joint work, developed  working group strategies and action plans, which were presented  during the event by "Awareness Raising" and "Water Quality" Group   members.  

"I am happy for our cooperation with the Gegharkunik marz's  administrative office. Today, within the framework of the EU4Sevan  project implemented by us, we have gathered to discuss a very  important issue related to the presentation of the strategy of the  Lake Sevan protection platform. Our project will indeed end next  year, but Lake Sevan with its eco- system will last forever.  Therefore, we all should show unity and take part in the healthy  protection of Lake Sevan and as a further step, jointly find the  possible solutions that should be implemented so that the problems  affecting the lake can be resolved as much as possible", emphasized  Christian Henschel.  

At the end of the event, the participants of the three-day online  training on Natural Resources Risks and Action Framework (NRAF)  methodology held in January were awarded certificates of  participation. The training aimed to make the participants understand  and be able to facilitate the different steps of a multi-stakeholder  stewardship partnership to address environmental risks collectively  by using the NRAF as the guiding natural resources management  framework, which is crucial for the successful establishment of the  Platform.