Hrant Dink Foundation, through the projects implemented under the Turkey-Armenia Programme, makes efforts to build closer ties between the peoples of the two neighbouring countries. The Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme, implemented in partnership with Gyumri Youth Initiative Centre with the support of the UK Government's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund aims to foster cross-border cooperation and exchange of knowledge between professionals from the two neighbouring countries.

Hayk Hakobyan is a fellow at BoMoVu - Network of Sport and Body Movement for Vulnerable Groups as part of the Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme, where he took part in projects with vulnerable groups and trying to empower them with sports and movement. Hayk was born in Shurnukh Village, located in the south of Armenia. After completing his high school education, he moved to Goris. In Goris, he taught yoga to women, while organising English language clubs trying to develop the skills of the local young people. He worked at Right Side, an NGO with the aim of increasing the visibility of the transgender persons and providing them legal and medical support, in the capacity of the fundraising officer.

Nil Delahaye, one of the founders of Hayk’s host organisation, BoMoVu - Network of Sport and Body Movement for Vulnerable Groups, has herself been a former fellow of the Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme. During her fellowship in 2014-2015, she organised ‘capoeira’ trainings for women at Women’s Resources Center in Yerevan. Nil Delahaye states that their organisation, BoMoVu, is implementing several activities towards the vulnerable groups of the society and Hayk has been actively involved in their projects with the refugees, while taking part in the activities against homophobia and transphobia.

Hayk also mentioned that, together with BoMoVu, they are working on a ‘football project’ with the refugees living in Turkey, where they visit youth and community centers regularly and meet with the refugee children, play with them and try to struggle with the sexist, discriminatory, racist, transphobic and homophobic discourse, which is very common among the football fans. Hayk Hakobyan and Nil Delahaye have talked about their experiences with the Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme and their suggestions for future fellows and host organisations.

Turkey-Armenia Fellowship Scheme, in 2017 - 2018, is implemented by the Hrant Dink Foundation
in partnership with Gyumri Youth Initiative Centre
with the support of the UK Government's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund

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