From May 6^th to 18^th, students enrolled in the “International Relations and Diplomacy” programme had a study tour to the headquarters of international organizations and EU institutions based in Strasbourg, Geneva, Brussels and Vienna.

In Strasbourg, the students visited the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.

In Geneva, meetings were held with the President of the UN Human Rights Council, the Permanent Observer of the United Nations University for Peace, representatives from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross and from the UN Institute for Training and Research.

The DS students had also a tour of the UN Office at Geneva and visited the Museum of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The visit to Geneva was organized through the joint efforts of the Diplomatic School, the Permanent Representation of Armenia to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and the University for Peace.

In Brussels, visits took place to the main EU institutions: the European Council, the European External Action Service, the European Parliament and the European Commission. The students met with representatives of these institutions working with Armenia and countries of the region. The discussions were based on the knowledge already gained at the Diplomatic School.

The participants of the study tour also visited the NATO headquarters in Brussels, met with NATO officials, discussed NATO-Armenia relations and the organization’s current challenges.

In Vienna, the future diplomats visited the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the United Nations Office at Vienna. They also had the opportunity to attend a session of the OSCE Permanent Council.

Additionally, the DS students got acquainted with the activities and the cultural heritage of the Mekhitarist Congregation in Vienna, as well as visited the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and met with its director.

The study trip was complemented by visits to the Permanent Representations and Embassies of Armenia in Strasbourg, Geneva, Brussels and Vienna, where students met with Armenian Ambassadors and diplomats, engaged in discussions and asked questions regarding the activities of the missions.