On May 22, a solemn event marked the conclusion of the series of events held during "Biodiversity Week," an initiative launched by the Ministry of Environment of the RA. The event was dedicated to the International Day for Biological Diversity and highlighted Armenia’s achievements and ongoing commitments within the framework of this important initiative.
Armenia, a country rich in biodiversity, has made notable progress in nature conservation this year. A key milestone is the country’s selection as the host of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This represents a unique opportunity for Armenia to contribute to shaping the international agenda and to propose sustainable, forward-looking solutions in the biodiversity field.
During "Biodiversity Week," held from May 16 to 22, a series of professional seminars, school programmes, community initiatives, and public discussions took place, uniting environmental policy, science, education, local communities, and international partners.
Hakob Simidyan, Minister of Environment of the RA; Hambardzum Matevosyan, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chair of the Organizing Committee for the COP17 Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity; Françoise Jacob, UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia; Deputy Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran; as well as representatives from local self-government bodies, international organizations, civil society and the media attended the closing ceremony held on May 22.
The event began with a welcoming speech delivered by Minister Hakob Simidyan, who emphasized the symbolic significance of the day, stating: “May 22, 2025, and May 22, 2026, will hold special importance for Armenia. Firstly, we have already embarked on the path to hosting COP17. Secondly, we are demonstrating our commitment to the international nature conservation agenda through practical actions. Today, 38,800 Sevan trout fry were released into Lake Sevan, nine Caucasian red deer were reintroduced into the wild, and a digital tree-planting platform was launched. I hope these initiatives also convey to our international partners our sincere dedication to nature conservation."