On May 3, in the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia, the Leadership School opened by the joint initiative of the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation in Armenia and CTUA was kicked off.

Through 12 modules, 20 participants from different industries will acquire hands-on knowledge on the development of civil society, labor rights, trade unions, governance and leadership skills.

During the first meeting, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung's Project Coordinator in Armenia, Liana Badalyan and Head of CTUA Educational Center, Elen Manaseryan, presented the vision of the organizations as well as the goals of the school. 

"A strong civil society leans on value-based leadership - the main warrant for building a stable democratic country. Legal consciousness and commitment to democratic values is the cornerstone of  building well-established institutions. The Leadership school aims to map such a strong value system for all the participants", says Liana Badalyan.

According to Elen Manaseryan, being the only national center in Armenia and uniting 196 thousand members through 18 Branch Republican Unions from various industries, CTUA aims to raise legal awareness about labor rights and inclusion. "We have to acknowledge that trade unions have many challenges in modern Armenia. The mission of CTUA includes helping them redefine their role and take a more proactive stance in labor rights protection", she says.

At the end of the course, all participants will be granted certificates on completion.