The tenth Armenian Internet Governance School, ArmSIG 2026, brought together more than 30 participants from six communities across Lori Province in Alaverdi on September 19–20. The participants included school students, representatives of the education sector, civil society, and the private and public sectors.
Held under the theme “Digital Literacy and Safety in the Age of AI,” the school was organized by the Internet Society Armenia Chapter, with the support of the Internet Society Foundation and RIPE NCC, and in cooperation with the Internet Society NGO.
Welcoming the participants, Internet Society Armenia Chapter Board Chair Vesmira Harutyunyan highlighted the importance of holding ArmSIG in the regions: “This is the fifth time that the Armenian Internet Governance School has been held outside the capital. It is important for us to make up-to-date knowledge and practical methods for using digital technologies safely and effectively accessible to as wide an audience as possible, contributing to more effective work in education, business, civil society, and other sectors.”
Igor Mkrtumyan, Chair of the Internet Society NGO Board, emphasized the importance of the Internet as an unlimited and constantly expanding educational resource: “The goal of ArmSIG is to increase the number of people who use the Internet to update their knowledge, expand their professional opportunities, and make their everyday lives more efficient, while avoiding cyber traps.”
At the tenth anniversary edition of ArmSIG, speakers presented developments in AI and safe approaches to its use, and discussed the principles of personal data protection, cyber hygiene, and safe behavior in the digital environment. The potential risks associated with using social media platforms and ways to use them safely were also discussed.
According to participant feedback, the topics covered during the two-day school were of practical relevance to different groups.
Lusine Simonyan, Director of the Child Development Foundation, noted: “Participating in ArmSIG 2026 was an opportunity to expand and refresh our knowledge. I am confident that we will all share the new information with our colleagues and apply it in our daily lives. Moreover, I hope that it will create opportunities for further cooperation with the organizers of the school.”
At the end of the training, participants received certificates, while active contributors to the discussions were also presented with gifts.
