AraratBank Joins Social Impact Award 2025 Summit in Ljubljana

AraratBank participated in the SIA Summit 2025, held in November 18-21 at Center Rog in Ljubljana, where creativity, entrepreneurship, and social impact converge.

The summit brought together around 200 participants from over 20 countries and 4 continents, including this year's winners, SIA alumni, partners, ecosystem actors, and SIA teams from around the world, all united around the common theme " Shaping Tomorrow, Together."

Anna Allahverdyan, Head of Communication and CSR Programs Coordination Division at AraratBank, participated in a fishbowl discussion on the theme "Quo Vadis Youth Empowerment? Navigating Hope and Power in an Age of Crisis," which addressed the challenges facing today's youth. Across many countries, young people feel the future is uncertain, confronting with instability, polarization, and the sense that their actions no longer matter. The SIA community, however, demonstrates the opposite—young innovators who prove every day that new futures can still be built.

The fishbowl session provided an opportunity for open, honest conversation about what youth empowerment means today. The discussion explored manifestations of "futurelessness" in different contexts, what young people hope and fear, and the role of social enterprises as windows to a more sustainable future.

Additionally, Anna Allahverdyan participated in the "Lightning Talks: Speed Dating Session", which brought together young social innovators and SIA partners in an interactive format for brief, targeted conversations about their projects, challenges, and needed support, and to receive mentorship. The approximately one-hour session at the Center Rog community space was structured around several short discussion rounds during which participants could connect with partners, ask questions, and receive practical advice on developing their initiatives.

At the "Lightning Talks: Speed Dating Session", there was considerable interest in AraratBank's selection process for social programs, strategic communications, and fundraising expertise. Young entrepreneurs from Moldova, Uganda, and Hungary were particularly engaged," noted Anna Allahverdyan, Head of Communication and CSR Programs Coordination Division.

As a core and loyal partner of Impact Hub Yerevan, implementor of the Social Impact Award in Armenia, AraratBank actively supports social entrepreneurship and innovation. The innovative ideas presented at SIA 2025 in Armenia were evaluated by a jury consisting of representatives from Impact Hub Yerevan, AraratBank, and industry experts. Based on the jury's vote, three teams were declared winners—Bonel, unmutED, and Zgayun Inclusive Books—while Minder was declared the winner by community vote. Each of the four winning teams was awarded a prize equivalent to 1,500 euros. The winners were also given the opportunity to participate in the Social Impact Award 2025 Summit in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

SIA is a globally recognized platform that has been supporting and encouraging young social entrepreneurs in more than 25 countries since 2009. The platform provides social entrepreneurs with necessary tools, resources, and network. In Armenia, the Social Impact Award has been implemented by Impact Hub Yerevan since 2019.