Mission Statement

Armenia is one of the countries, which gained its independence after the collapse of Soviet Union in 1991, and has chosen a democratic way of development. The recent 15 years period has showed various positive and negative aspects of this transition.

One of the basic issues, which stands against these possible transitions is a rooted contradiction between national culture, normative-value system, shaped through ages of national mentality and through seventy years of Soviet regime and the claims of democratic institutions and civic awareness. This contradiction is a matter, which is faced in different countries in different ways – based on the peculiarities of local cultures and the processes of democratization.

However, there is definitely something in common between this contradiction, which should be studied better, to provide better possibilities of transition and democratization. In that sense, the experience of advanced democracies will be especially valuable, but only if compared with young democracies and drew the comparisons.

The purpose of 1st International Youth Conference on National Democracies was to bring together young scholars, students, activists, etc. both from advanced democracies and transitional countries, who are enrolled in democracy studies and national studies to make an opportunity to discuss the possible issues of transitional democracies as to argue on the sharper aspects and find possible solutions.