A Tense Standoff at the Blue Zone On October 21, environmentalist Anna Shahnazaryan was once again denied entry to Yerevans Meridian Expo Center where COP17 is now being held. After being kept outside the gates for fifteen minutes, she was finally permitted to enter the premises to conduct the event, where she served as the keynote speaker. During the sessionheld in the highly secured "Blue Zone"she spoke dynamically about the ongoing struggle against the operation of the Amulsar gold mine, the vital involvement of local communities in this effort, and the unique pressures faced by female environmentalists. Shahnazaryan also addressed the incident at the entrance toward the end of her presentation, after an audience member asked about the challenges she encounters in the course of her work. The activist was wearing a T-shirt with the slogan "Save Amulsar," though, as she noted, it was covered by an overcoat. She suspects that the police recognized her by her face and deliberately obstructed her entry. Shahnazaryan characterized this incident as one of the forms of pressure encountered during environmental advocacy. According to her, such pressure manifests in many waysranging from the obstruction of protest actions and the smearing of the movement and its participants, to the filing of lawsuits. The Roots of the Amulsar Resistance During the event, Shahnazaryan spoke about the broader struggle against mining projects in Armenia and how this movement has expanded over the years. She noted that the residents of Jermuk, Armenia, have been exceptionally active in the movement since 2018. Women, men, young people, and the elderly have all taken a stand against the operation of a mine planned near the resort town. They have also been joined by a dedicated network of activists based in Yerevan. In a powerful display of grassroots defiance, Jermuk residents previously blocked the roads leading to the mine, successfully obstructing the companys operations. She described this period as an important experience for civil society in Armenia. From Hope to Heartbreak: Shifting Tides of Protest During the session, one of the discussion participants asked why the active protest actions of 2018 did not continue in the same manner thereafter. Shahnazaryan attributed this shift first to changing public sentiment, and second to the devastating consequences of the 2020 Artsakh War. In 2018, people perceived a genuine opportunity to influence decision-making. Following the change in national government, a sense emerged that by organizing and engaging in local struggles, it was entirely possible to achieve change within ones own community as well. "They reasoned that if they could topple the incumbent national government, they could also organize andat the very leastwage a genuine struggle against local authorities," she said. In Shahnazaryans assessment, this environment empowered people to act. However, the 2020 war dealt a severe blowboth to the participants of the movement and to society. Prior to the war, residents had maintained a constant watch near the roads leading to Amulsar, spending their days and nights there. "This so-called 'guard duty' was conducted by men. They were conscripted for the war, and some of them were killed," Shahnazaryan said. These profound losses affected not only the families of the fallen and the core participants in the movement, but also broader segments of society. In the aftermath of the war, a heavy sense of powerlessness and apathy took hold, fracturing the momentum of the resistance. Corporate Cash and Corporate Silencing Shahnazaryan identified another critical factor contributing to the shift in the local situation: the targeted financial involvement of the mining company within the community. She stated that the company provides funds directly to the community, including subsidies for local transportation. The activist believes that this financial support heavily influences the stance of local authorities. As a direct example, she pointed to the fact that representatives of the municipal administration did not participate in certain parallel events held within the framework of COP17. According to Shahnazaryan, they were initially supposed to take part but later declined, explicitly citing the funds provided by the company as the reason for their absence. Gender-Based Attacks and SLAPP Lawsuits Beyond political apathy and financial pressure, women activists are also specifically targeted simply for being women. Shahnazaryan highlighted the frequent lawsuits filed against environmental activists, which she characterizes as Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP). In the case of women, she noted, these legal pressures are deeply compounded by gender-based insults and public labeling. As soon as a female activists name enters the public sphere, discussions on social media often shift away from environmental issues to how she speaks or carries herself. "Women face pressure precisely because of their activismwith remarks like 'This is no job for a woman,' 'You don't act like a woman,' 'You don't speak like a woman,' 'A woman shouldn't shout,' and other similar expressions," said Shahnazaryan. According to her, this derogatory attitude is deliberately intended to limit women's participation and discredit their work. A Global Echo and the Fight Ahead Despite these intense local hardships, the stories of those involved in the movement to protect Amulsar have reached well beyond Armenias borders, capturing international attention. Shahnazaryan highlighted a collaborative project by Los Angeles-based artist Carolina Caycedo, which features and honors the stories of various environmental movementsincluding the ongoing struggle to protect Amulsar. To further elevate the cause, Shahnazaryan presented an English-language briefing on Armenia to the event participants. The brief outlines severe threats to Armenia's biodiversity, ranging from the impacts of war and a low level of democracy to gender inequality. According to Shahnazaryan, activists have proposed that the next multi-year program of the Convention on Biological Diversity directly address the systemic issues that hinder the achievement of its targets. Among these, she highlighted the heavy influence of corporate interests on state decision-making, as well as the burden of external debt. She noted that debt-servicing obligations heavily deplete the resources the state could otherwise allocate to nature conservation. Through this briefing paper, prepared specifically regarding Armenia, activists aim to bring these systemic challenges to the immediate attention of both state delegates and international civil society representatives. Shahnazaryan emphasized that the struggle surrounding Amulsar continues with full force, despite the changed circumstances and the central governments current support for the mining project.