WEASA peer-to-peer story of Eka Mamrikishvili: exploring media freedom and media literacy in Armenia

As part of the WEASA Peer-to-Peer Meetings, held on 13–14 November 2025 in Yerevan, WEASA alumna Eka Mamrikishvili carried out a study visit aimed at deepening her understanding of media freedom, media literacy, and information resilience in Armenia. The visit formed an important component of her ongoing professional work as a human rights lawyer focusing on media freedom, democratic accountability, and the rule of law in Georgia.

The main objective of Eka’s visit was to assess the state of Armenia’s media environment – particularly the legal, political, and societal challenges facing journalists and independent outlets. She also sought to explore how disinformation and foreign information manipulation impact the country’s democratic processes, and how Armenian institutions and civil society respond to these pressures. A further area of interest was media literacy, including educational initiatives that help citizens critically navigate the information space.

Throughout her stay, Eka met with WEASA alumni and several leading experts and practitioners working on media, policy, and information integrity in Armenia. Discussions focused on current challenges such as political influence over public broadcasting, the growing prevalence of disinformation, and hybrid threats stemming from regional tensions.

Her meetings included exchanges with:

• Armen Grigoryan and Viktorya Melkonyan, hosts of the visit and both alumni members, who introduced the work of the Center for Policy Studies (CPS);

• Representatives of the Media Initiatives Center (MIC);

• Gegham Vardanyan, Editor-in-Chief of Media.am;

• Mikayel Yalanuzyan, Head of the Orbeli Analytical Research Center, and Hasmik Meliksetyan, Senior Specialist at the Regional Policy Research Service and expert on Georgian affairs;

• Suren Deheryan, President of Journalists for the Future;

• Seda Muradyan, President of the Public Journalism Club (PJC).

These conversations offered detailed insights into Armenia’s media landscape, including innovative educational tools, media literacy programmes, and long-term initiatives supporting independent journalism and civil society.

The visit provided Eka with a rich comparative perspective on media freedom and media literacy in Armenia and Georgia. She observed how Armenian organizations address vulnerabilities linked to external influence and disinformation and how they work to strengthen critical thinking skills across society.

Eka has already begun applying the knowledge gained. Shortly after the visit, she delivered a conference presentation titled “There Is No Democracy and Media Freedom Without Media Literacy,” where she presented Armenia as a positive example in building a sustainable media-literate society. This comparative approach has further strengthened her professional analysis of media freedom in Georgia.

Currently Eka is working on her comparative analysis of media freedom and media literacy initiatives in Armenia and Georgia. Follow us for updates.

The WEASA Peer-to-Peer Meetings once again demonstrated the value of regional exchange and professional cooperation. Eka’s visit showcased how shared experiences, cross-border learning, and alumni engagement contribute to building resilient democratic societies across the region.

We would like to thank Eka for this wonderful and enriching experience. Special thanks goes to our hosts Armen Grigoryan, who helped Eka to organise all her meetings and visits in Armenia! We are truly proud to see this intergenerational exchange strengthening.