Public integrity and ethical governance at local level in Armenia will be the focus of a series of four online thematic leadership workshops organised by the Congress between June and September 2021 for the members of Community of practice on public integrity and ethics in local governance in Armenia (CoP). Conducted by international and local experts, the workshops include training in practical implementation of European standards and Congress recommendations on public ethics at local level as well as peer exchanges between Armenian municipalities and Congress members invited to share their experience.

The first workshop on “Public Integrity” took place on 24-25 June 2021. Bryony Rudkin, member of the Ipswich Borough Council (United Kingdom, SOC/V/DP), Congress Thematic Spokesperson on the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW), presented public integrity strategies and stressed the importance of open and ethical governance for building citizens’ trust in local authorities and governance institutions.

This first training will be followed by workshops on “Open and transparent governance” (1-2 July), “Anti-corruption policy” (8-9 July) and “Transparency in public procurement” planned for the first week of September.    

The workshops are being organized within the “Strengthening the Communities Association of Armenia and Transparent, Participatory Local Governance in Armenia” project, which aims to improve the quality of local democracy in Armenia, enhance citizens’ confidence, and trust in local authorities through greater voice, accountability, effectiveness and inclusiveness of the local self-government bodies. It is implemented by the Congress, with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland, within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2019-2022.