PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia implements the Armed Forces-Society connection with various segments of the society: students of public schools, student organizations, teaching staff of universities, RA creative unions, active public figures in the science and culture, about 75 non-governmental organizations cooperating with the Ministry of Defence, various scientific, educational-cultural and propaganda centers, trade unions and other organizations.

Great attention is paid to expanding cooperation with youth organizations, implementing joint cognitive and educational programs, and public participation of the young in army life.

In the field of public involvement, a lot of attention is paid to the participation of public and political organizations in military-patriotic events, its enlightening by the Ministry of Defence and other media.

The programs carried out with the NGOs uniting the participants of the Union of Yerkrapah Volunteers, the Great Patriotic War, the Artsakh War, the family members of the the killed or disabled freedom fighters are of continuous nature.

The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia provides comprehensive assistance to military-patriotic events, non-governmental, political and student organizations organizing pilgrimages and patriotic campaigns.

The implementation of joint programs by the Ministry of Defence and NGOs is an ongoing process. The registration questionnaire of the NGOs wishing to cooperate with the Ministry of Defence and the procedure for submitting the programs implemented by the NGOs with the assistance of the Ministry of Defence as well as the procedure of the reports are posted on the official website of the Ministry of Defence.

Since 2009, comprehensive organizational support has been provided to the monitoring of the legality of military conscription carried out by NGOs under the auspices of the OSCE Yerevan office, public opinion polls on various army issues are regularly organized.

The work carried out by the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia in the field of improving the military-patriotic education of the younger generation is regulated by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Armenia No. 532 dated August 25, 1999 "On Approval of the Procedure for pre-conscription training in general education schools and secondary specialized educational institutions of the Republic of Armenia". 

The Joint Order of the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia dated December 19, 2008 No. 1606 "on strengthening ties between military units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and secondary schools, improving the military-patriotic education of schoolchildren" approved the list of joining secondary schools to military units of the RA Defence Ministry system.

Educational institutions operating in the administrative-territorial units of the Republic of Armenia were attached to military units of the Defence system and territorial military commissariats of the Republic of Armenia, by order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia in May 2009, for the purpose of effective organization of field exercises and pre-military conscription and military patriotic activities of students under the preliminary military training program.

In 2010, according to the simplified combat training program at training centres in all regions of the republic, 17,557 students took part in practical trainings, including fire trainings, and more than 25,000 schoolchildren from 997 secondary schools of the republic took part in the military sports games "Defender of the Motherland" and "Koryun" organized in army training centres.

By joint order No. 665 of September 8, 2009, of the RA Ministers of Defence, Education and Science, Emergency Situations, Sports and Youth Affair, and Head of the RA Police, "On approval of the Program for improving the level of pre-conscription training and military-patriotic education of students of general education and secondary specialized educational institutions of the Republic of Armenia" the Program of joint work was approved. The implementation of the project was assigned to the interdepartmental commission created by the same order which includes three representatives of the RA Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education and Science, and two representatives of RA Emergency Situations, Sports and Youth Affairs, as well as the RA Police.

Every year, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia provides great support to the furnishing of military science classrooms in public education schools and the enrichment of the educational materials. It allocates to the RA Ministry of Education and Science about 3,500 units of military-patriotic literature and film CDs published by the RA Ministry of Defence and NGO Department free of charge. For this purpose, together with the RA Military Commissariat and the RA Ministry of Education and Science, similar support was provided to 40 base schools for teaching the subject of Preliminary Military Training in the republic. With the assistance of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, classes on the subject of "military science " of secondary schools, premises for storing educational weapons and ammunition were equipped. 

Every year, on "Knowledge Day" "Courage Lessons" are organized in public schools. In senior classes and in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, republican and army competitions for the best essays on military-patriotic topics are organized. The authors of the best works are encouraged with certificates of honor and valuable gifts from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Education and Science.

In addition to working with the RA Ministers of Defence, Education and Science, Emergencies, Sports and Youth Affairs and the RA Police in the public education sphere, the RA Ministry of Defence annually implements a number of joint military-patriotic and educational programs with the Ministries of Territorial Administration, Culture, Diaspora, Sports and Youth of the RA.