Results of the “Menk” Leadership School 2025 Summed Up

On September 22, one of the most anticipated and significant youth initiatives of the “Nor Nakhijevan” Humanitarian Foundation — the “Menk” Leadership School — came to a close. For the fifth year in a row, this program has stood as the foundation’s largest and most important knowledge-based project in Armenia, aimed at unlocking the leadership potential of young people, fostering civic engagement, and shaping responsible citizens.

In 2025, about 20 young participants were selected from more than forty applications. They represented Yerevan State University, The V. Brusov State University, The Russian-Armenian University, and the Armenian State University of Economics. Participants included historians, journalists, international relations scholars, economists, and a linguist-translator.

Although at first the focus of the program seemed challenging for those outside journalism, during the practical sessions they quickly adapted and, together with journalism students, successfully carried out the given assignments.

The program began on September 15 in Yerevan, bringing together participants for an intensive series of courses. For five days, the young people attended lectures and workshops covering leadership, communication, the role of media, and digital technologies in modern society.

Among the speakers were management and media experts, public figures, and journalists, who shared not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills. During the final three days of the program, our participants carried out practical assignments alongside journalists from the partner media outlet.

Program Director Mher Hovhannisyan conveyed the message of the Foundation’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Harutyun Surmalyan, who emphasized the school’s importance within the foundation’s mission:

“The ‘Menk’ Leadership School is one of the clearest expressions of our conviction that youth is not only the hope of the future but also the driving force of the present. We believe that by investing knowledge and experience, we are shaping a generation that is responsible, proactive, and ready to lead.”

At the closing ceremony, Fund Director Mher Hovhannisyan noted:

“The participants once again demonstrated the flexibility of mind of Armenian youth and their tireless drive for growth. We are confident that the graduates of this school will become leaders who will shape not only their professional communities but also the broader social environment.”

All 20 participants received certificates from the foundation. Eight of them were selected by a partner media outlet for a one-month paid internship, with the possibility of continuing into long-term collaboration.