YEREVAN. – Armenian capital will host an International Conference of capital cities of the Council of Europe member states on Friday.

The conference is organised under the Armenian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in close co-operation with the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

It will address the issues related to the particular role of capital cities in the overall development of local democracy and in political, economic, social and cultural life. The Conference will also be a good opportunity for an exchange of good practice and the progress achieved in member States of the Council of Europe.

Mayors and Deputy Mayors of the capital cities of the Council of Europe member states, the representatives of municipalities, of relevant state structures, local self-government bodies and the civil society, as well as international and local experts will participate in the Conference.

Mr. Armen Gevorgyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Territorial Administration of Armenia, Mr. Taron Margaryan, Mayor of Yerevan and Mr. John Warmisham, Vice-President of the Congress and will address the participants.

The discussions will be organised around following main topics: the growing role of capital cities and the quality of life; the institutional capacity of capital cities to address the challenges of the quality of life.

Conclusions of the sessions will be drawn at the end of the conference which will be closed by Mr. John Warmisham and Mr. Kamo Areyan, the First Deputy Mayor of Yerevan.