ARF Youth represented at IUSY Balkan Round Table and Black Sea Area Committee
The ARF Bureau՛s Youth Office announces that the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Youth participated in the IUSY Balkan Round Table and Black Sea Area Committee in Skopje, North Macedonia, Sept. 10-13, 2026.
Young leaders from socialist and social democratic organizations gathered for the IUSY Balkan Round Table and Black Sea Area Committee 2026 under the theme “Organize, Mobilize, Democratize: Progressive Youth Against Authoritarianism.”
Syuneh Kevorkian represented the ARF Youth during the multi-day conference, engaging in discussions on regional security, democratic backsliding and effective youth-led mobilization.
In her interventions during the meeting, Kevorkian raised critical human rights issues and security violations affecting the region. She drew urgent attention to the plight of Armenian hostages and prisoners of war illegally held in Baku, demanding international accountability and their immediate release.
Furthermore, she addressed the ongoing Azerbaijani military incursions and illegal occupation of sovereign Armenian territory, which poses a continuous threat to regional stability. Building on these humanitarian and territorial concerns, she spoke on the fundamental right of return for the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh to their homes and emphasized the international imperative of Armenian Genocide recognition, noting that historical recognition remains a necessary safeguard against future genocides.
The conference concluded with participants reaffirming their collective commitment to democratic renewal and regional solidarity. The ARF Youth will continuously pursue its efforts, raising issues concerning Armenia and all Armenians on various international platforms.
The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) is an international organization bringing together socialist, social democratic and labor youth organizations from around the world. Its regional structure includes a European Committee, under which the Balkan Round Table and Black Sea Area Cooperation Committee operate as subcommittees. The committees provide a platform for member organizations to address political and social developments affecting their respective regions and to strengthen cooperation among youth organizations.
