On the occasion of the second edition of the Yerevan Dialogue, the Forum on Information and Democracy and the Armenian government organised a series of discussions on information integrity. While the country prepares to host the COP on Biodiversity in 2026, the Forum reiterated its commitment to support the country’s effort in fighting environmental disinformation.
From 26 to 27 May, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the Yerevan Dialogue, centered around the theme Navigating the Unknown. The two days of discussions brought together civil society experts, diplomats, and government representatives to address the major issues shaping and disrupting today’s international order.
Through this event, and in a particularly volatile geopolitical context, Armenia is building coalitions and garnering support across a wide range of topics. Climate transition, democratic resilience, emerging technologies, and international security cooperation were among the key items on the agenda.
Geopolitics in the Age of Disinformation
The fight against disinformation was a recurring theme throughout the conference. In his opening remarks, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan described “disinformation and fake news as weapons aimed at the fundamentals of the international order”.
In partnership with the Ministry, the Forum on Information and Democracy hosted several discussions on the theme of information integrity. A high-level panel featuring experts such as Alison Gilwald, founder of the South African think thank Research ICT Africa, and Gyan Tripathi, lawyer and rapporteur for the Observatory on Information and Democracy, explored the key challenges and opportunities for safeguarding information integrity. British Member of Parliament Rupa Huq and Anzhela Kzhdryan, Head of Strategic Communication and Participatory Governance Reform in Armenia, also shared insights on how ledgilsators and governments can address these issues.
The panel quickly highlighted a shared conclusion: in the face of growing and intensifying challenges related to disinformation, artificial intelligence and digital governance, there is an urgent need for global, integrated responses that safeguard human rights.
Toward COP 17 on Biodiversity
In search of concrete solutions, the Forum and the Armenian Ministry also co-organized a closed-door meeting of the Partnership on Information and Democracy. This meeting emphasized the urgent need to link the fight against disinformation with the fight to preserve the biosphere. It forms part of a workstream facilitated by the Forum and co-chaired by Brazil and Armenia.
During the session, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan committed to making information integrity a key priority of Armenia’s presidency of COP 17, which will take place in 2026. This effort will be closely coordinated with Brazil, which will chair COP 30 on climate change in November 2025, as Brazilian Ambassador to Armenia Fabio Vaz Pitaluga reminded participants.
The meeting also served as an opportunity to present the first policy ideas developed by the Forum, along with a call for contributions launched on May 21.