Gegham Baghdasaryan has a background in journalism and politics. He is the founder and president of the Stepanakert Press Club, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that has been a centre for media freedom in Nagorny Karabakh since 1998. Gegham headed the publication of the popular independent newspaper Demo in 2004–2008, and he is currently editor-in-chief of the monthly analytical journal Analitikon, published in Armenian and Russian.
Avaz Hasanov is the Director of the Society for Humanitarian Research, an NGO that seeks democratic change through the protection of human rights and freedoms as well as the construction of more sustainable citizen participation in building civil society. A prominent figure in Azerbaijani civil society, Avaz is editor of the magazine Human Rights in Azerbaijan and has participated widely in dialogue meetings with Armenian counterparts.
Mikayel Zolyan is a historian and political analyst from Armenia. An alumnus of the Heinrich Böll Foundation’s South Caucasus regional scholarship programme, he currently teaches at the V. Brusov Yerevan State Linguistic University and works for the Yerevan Press Club, an NGO in Yerevan. Mikayel’s research interests include issues of nationalism and ethnicity, ethno-political conflict, democratisation processes and social movements. He is the author of a number of articles published both in Armenia and abroad.
Masis Mayilian is the Chair of the Public Council for Foreign and Security Policy, a non-governmental partnership and think-tank based in Nagorny Karabakh. He has had a long career in politics and diplomacy, and has participated in Track I negotiations and policy expert forums and discussions on the Caucasus region and Armenian-Turkish relations. Masis has authored numerous articles and research reports on the Nagorny Karabakh conflict and regional issues.
Gulshan Pashayeva is Deputy Director of the think-tank the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. She previously worked for the United Nations Office in Azerbaijan as National Programme Coordinator for the UN Women (UNIFEM) project ‘Women for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding in the South Caucasus’ (2001–2006), and as Public Information Associate for the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI). From 1996 to 2001 she directed the NGO Conflict Research Center and taught at various state and private universities in Azerbaijan. Gulshan specialises in conflict resolution and security studies, as well as gender and language policy. She is the author of more than 70 publications.
