Armen Grigoryan – When preparedness becomes a responsibility, not an afterthought

As a young volunteer during the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Armen Grigoryan witnessed something that stayed with him.

International assistance arrived, but it was uneven and poorly coordinated. Local systems were overwhelmed. Even foreign aid, though well-intentioned, was not organised to meet the scale of the disaster.

What struck him was not only the devastation, but the lack of preparedness at every level.

That experience reshaped his career. Armen went on to study disaster management and conflict resolution and spent decades working to strengthen national systems for crisis response.

In this episode, he reflects on how early exposure to uncoordinated aid changed his understanding of responsibility in fragile contexts.

When crisis response depends on improvisation rather than preparedness, the cost is paid by those already affected. Armen’s moment shows what happens when readiness becomes an ethical obligation rather than a technical afterthought.