YEREVAN. – Closing ceremony of the “IDEAS: Inclusive Decisions for Equal and Accountable Society” project was held Friday in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.

The three-year regional project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the  British Council, involved six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Georgia, Lebanon, and Ukraine. 

The goal of the project was to strengthen the role and capacity of disability focused civil society organizations to work with local government in local decision-making processes, and in monitoring the promotion of the rights and experiences of people with disabilities.

Speaking at the closing event, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Świtalski, stated that the EU Delegation attaches great importance to working with people with disabilities.

As per Świtalski, this project not only seeks to see to it that people with disabilities feel themselves full members of the society.

He noted that this project also aims to get rid of a bad stereotype. Świtalski stated that over the last 25 years of work, they had managed to overcome the prejudice that people with disabilities cannot become full members of the society. And he expressed confidence that there will no longer be such prejudice in Armenia as well.

In his words, this work is a part of the overall activities of the EU.