Armine Hovhannisyan. “If we all treat the community as if it were our mother, we shall have the community of our dreams.”

Armine Hovhannisyan, the leader of the “Country of Living” party and a candidate in the local elections to be conducted on October 17 in the enlarged community of Dilijan, is WomenNet.am’s interlocutor. Armine is the president of the Dilijan Community Center NGO and an IT professional.

It should be mentioned that in the October 17 by-elections in six villages, Armine is the only woman on a political party’s pre-election list, seeking for the position of Dilijan mayor.

The following political parties are running for the Council of Elders in Dilijan: “Civil Contract,” “Homeland,” “Country of Living,” “Citizen’s Decision,” and “Republic.”

WomenNet.am asked the candidate how she decided to run for mayor of Dilijan, what her three objectives will be if elected, who her team members and supporters are, and what kind of pre-election campaign she expects. What problems does she see, and how prepared is she to confront them, including the game rules established by men? What initiatives will she take to empower women and increase their engagement in communal life?

Armine Hovhannisyan thinks that the voters will be people who have seen the job that her team members have done for years. Those who care about the community’s future will vote for them, certain that Dilijan will grow at a rapid rate and become one of the most desirable and appealing locations for scientific, educational, and entertainment activities.

Dilijan is a relatively small community; throughout her life, she has demonstrated through her work that the most essential thing is the community’s atmosphere of healing and solidarity. As a result, she anticipates that, in collaboration with the five political groups running in the upcoming municipal elections, they will present their programs and vision in an atmosphere of solidarity, mutual respect, and understanding.

She explained that women’s participation is not required by the legislative quota in their opinion. They examine the problem in terms of substance. Their team’s pre-selection list includes 23 people, 10 of whom are women, accounting for roughly 40% of the total. The dignified participation of women reflects their distinct concern for and dedication to the community.                They feel that today’s women can be a formidable force. Women may care for their communities in the same way that they care for their families and children.

Armine Hovhannisyan believes that the fact that their party team includes a significant number of women is already promising and encouraging for many women.

Gayane Sargsyan

Full text in Armenian