From May 7 to 22, students enrolled in the “International Relations and Diplomacy” programme participated in a study tour to the headquarters of international organizations and EU institutions in Vienna, Strasbourg, Geneva and Brussels.

In Vienna, the students visited the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations Office at Vienna. They also attended a session of the OSCE Permanent Council. In addition, they got acquainted with the cultural heritage and activities of the Mekhitarist Congregation, visited the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and met with its director.

In Strasbourg, the group visited the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights and the European Parliament, gaining insights into the functioning of these institutions.

The Geneva segment included meetings with the Permanent Observer of the United Nations University for Peace and with representatives from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and from the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The students also toured the UN Office at Geneva and visited the ICRC Museum.

In Brussels, the programme included visits to the European External Action Service, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Belgian Federal Parliament. The students engaged in discussions with officials working on Armenia and regional affairs, building on knowledge acquired at the Diplomatic School. They also visited NATO headquarters, where they met with NATO officials and discussed NATO-Armenia relations and current global challenges facing the alliance.

Throughout the trip, the students visited the Permanent Representations and Embassies of Armenia in each city. They met with Armenian ambassadors and diplomats, participated in discussions and asked questions about the work and priorities of these diplomatic missions.