The opening ceremony of the Gender Studies and Leadership Centre was held at YSU today. Alongside with YSU representatives and initiators of the project, a number of non-governmental organizations, occupied in the womens affairs, were present. The event was organized by the International Cooperation Office of YSU.
The guests were first greeted by YSU Rector Aram Simonyan: In our society, gender and womens leadership issues are very urgent. Another problem we face is the low level of the awareness of these issues in our society.
The Rector also added that special attention to gender issues and gender equality has always been paid at YSU and the opening of the Centre is one of the practical steps in this direction.
This initiative is part of the project, implemented in the framework of the project Higher Education for Development, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The program contributes to the development of cooperation between YSU and Arizona, as well as the exchange of tutors and the implementation of other joint projects.
This centre is unique in Armenia. It will provide students with advanced training approaches and solutions. It will also serve as an interdisciplinary field of research, related to the issues of gender equality and womens leadership.
The centre will contribute to the rising of the level of the awareness on gender issues in our society.
Today, women and girls everywhere face gender inequality, but it should be noted that the normal process of development of the country will be possible only when women and men have equal rights and opportunities, - said U.S. Agency for International Development Programs Manager Richard Bayes.
After the speeches, the guests participated in the opening ceremony of the Centre (YSU 3rd building).
