The 101st Conference of the World Association of Detectives has taken place in Cannes, France. From 1 to 6 September, Cannes hosted the main annual event of the detective industry — the 101st international conference. Armenia was worthily represented by the President of the Association of Private Detectives of Armenia and Ambassador of the World Association of Detectives, Hayk Gabrielyan. Here is our remote conversation with him.
— Mr Gabrielyan, tell us what happened in Cannes.
— For a whole week, the bohemian atmosphere of Cannes, the romance of the Côte d’Azur and a busy professional agenda were united by the energy of the detective world. For six days, the best private detectives in the world gathered under one roof, creating a unique environment for sharing experience, discussing key issues and opening new horizons for cooperation. Armenia was worthily represented by the Association of Private Detectives of Armenia, led by its President and Ambassador of the World Association, Hayk Gabrielyan.
— There were elections, and what elections they were. On the proposal of the newly elected President and by decision of the board, you were elected Regional Governor and Co-Chair of Europe.
— The forum held important organisational and leadership elections: First Vice President Juan Giraldo was elected President of the association. In addition, Armenia was included among the candidate countries to host the association’s 104th conference in 2029.
— How would you assess the overall atmosphere and the results of the 101st conference in Cannes?
— The conference was unprecedented both in the geography of its participants and in the depth of its discussions. The participation of 200 professionals from more than 80 countries shows how fast our field is developing and how important international cooperation is.
— What will your new position give Armenia, and you personally?
— First of all, I thank Mr Giraldo for his trust and congratulate him on his election as President. The position of Regional Governor and Co-Chair of Europe, entrusted to me on his proposal and by decision of the board, is a great honour and at the same time an enormous responsibility. Above all, it is international recognition of the years of work of the Association of Private Detectives of Armenia. This role makes it possible not only to strengthen professional ties between the countries of the European region, but also to make Armenia one of the key centres for industry discussions and initiatives.
— Armenia is being considered as a candidate to host the 104th conference in 2029. How realistic is it to hold such a large-scale event in our country?
— For our team, this is a sign of great trust. The very fact that Armenia has been included among the candidate countries to host the 104th world conference in 2029 is already an important signal from the international community. If the final decision is made in Armenia’s favour, it will be an unprecedented event for the whole region, bringing leading detectives, experts and security professionals from all over the world to our country.
— What will be your first steps in the new position?
— We will focus on sharing experience, introducing new investigative technologies in the digital age and expanding regional cooperation. Our goal is to build an even stronger network that will allow us, together with partners from European countries, to resolve emerging security problems quickly and effectively.
Interview by Ruzan MINASYAN
“Aravot” daily newspaper
09.09.2026
Read at the source (in Armenian): Hayk Gabrielyan, European Regional Governor of the World Association of Detectives