Many Circumstances I Can Bring to Light: The New Spokesperson for the Zoo Also Resigned

The press and public relations officer of the Yerevan Zoo, Smbat Ghahramanyan, has been relieved of his duties.

“I do not even address the reason for my dismissal, as from the outset I had a verbal agreement with the acting director regarding the collaboration and the frequency of my visits to work. It has become evident that in many sectors, including at the zoo, the systemic changes and the logic of new realities are encountering resistance. There are many circumstances I could disclose, but perhaps the vivid proof of what I've stated is that several press secretaries at the zoo have changed in a very short period. I advise the Yerevan city authorities to fundamentally change the philosophy of managing the zoo and, most importantly, not to focus on personnel changes but to initiate institutional reforms. To prevent the sector from being irreparably damaged and to reform it, a clear strategy for the zoo's development should be crafted, engaging professionals and employing non-standard methodologies based on international best practices to build the short-term, mid-term, and long-term future of the zoo.

There are genuinely caring and professional individuals within the zoo's administrative staff, and they should be united not around a person, but around a purpose; not around a group, but around a dream. Regarding the animal caretakers, these are people who are, in the truest sense of the word, dedicated, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to interact with those kind-hearted individuals. I thank all journalists with whom I have worked and collaborated for nearly a month. Even to the naked eye, one can see the improvements in the zoo’s public relations and media engagement in the past month, the emphasis on the zoo's presence in social media, the expansion of collaboration opportunities and prospects with partner organizations, and the growth of other areas. I believe my colleagues will also attest to the positive results of my work.

I consider this chapter of my life to be closed. I am confident that in Armenia, thanks to my efforts, sooner or later, an environment will be established where the evaluation of a person's contributions will be based solely on individual effort, quality, and exclusively their work.”