Arsen Kyaratyan, S-CAR Alumnus

Arsen Kyaratyan first discovered the field of conflict analysis and resolution in the 90s, when S-CAR (then ICAR), was involved in projects in the South Caucasus.  According to him, “S-CAR was the first U.S. academic institution that introduced peacebuilding initiatives to the South Caucasus which later grew to include the organization of summer schools and dialogue projects for university students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia." Arsen participated in some of these programs and from those experiences, he decided to become part of the S-CAR community in order to learn more about the field of conflict resolution.

After completing his master's degree,  Arsen moved to Tbilisi, Georgia, which he said "has for the past two decades, become the main safe space for parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to try to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict.” Together with local and international colleagues,  Arsen has been working in peace building projects with Armenians,  Azerbaijanis, Georgians,  Abkhaz, and Ossetians and the theoretic background and practical skills which he acquired from S-CAR have been of great use.  "There are also ongoing peacebuilding initiatives run by S-CAR faculty members in the region, such as the Point of  View dialogue between Georgians and Abkhaz run by Susan Allen," he said.  

Together with some friends and colleagues form S-CAR  Arsen is trying to establish a conflict resolution center in the Caucasus, that will deal with not only the territorial and inter-ethnic conflicts not only in the immediate neighborhood, but in the greater Middle East region as well.  "We have already established a non profit organization called Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy in Tbilisi and Yerevan, which is aimed at bringing CR mechanisms and theories taught at S-CAR. This is in addition to the Gandhi foundation of Georgia, which was founded in July 2014."

One of Arsen's current passions is to bring more students from the region to study at S-CAR because he believes it will help them develop skills to help resolve their many conflicts that they are immersed in.