Promotion wider engagement of ethnic Armenian constituencies in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities in the works of the local Self-Government

In January-February 2015, Public Movement Multinational Georgia has implemented the project “Promotion of wider engagement of ethnic Armenian constituencies” which was supported by Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. The purpose of the action was to promote wider engagement of ethnic Armenian constituencies residing in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities in the works of the local Self-Government including the newly created Volunteer-Based Community Councils in the villages, and to enhance the potential of local civil societal sector in monitoring the realization of the Local Self Governance reform as well as promotion of wider engagement of constituencies in the locally available decision making framework. To this end, the action implied to adequately inform local ethnic Armenian constituencies in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities about the new visions, activities, goals and aims of the Decentralization and Self-Governance Reform initiated by the Government of Georgia.

As envisaged by the project, from the period from 2 to 28 February, 97 informational-awareness raising meetings were conducted by preliminary trainer 4 educators in 64 villages of Akhalkalaki municipality and 31 villages of Ninotsminda municipality, as well as 2 meetings were organized in municipality centers – Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda. The meetings outreached 1685 people in total and were attended by students, media workers, opinion leaders, CSOs representatives, teachers, farmers, business community representatives, etc.

Moreover, the action offered the complex capacity building program (the first one on organization building and operation, and the other on fundraising and project cycle management) for local civil societal actors to better advocate, sensitize and lobby the issues, problems and challenges vulnerable groups are facing in the underlined municipalities in line with the promotion of their immediate engagement in civic monitoring and community mobilization programs.

In addition, on 8-13 February and 24-27 February, 2015 number of meetings with representatives of Tbilisi-based prominent civil societal organizations, governmental structures (both legislative and executive branches) and donors were organized. This enabled participants to improve their understanding of civil society works as well as make contacts with capital based stakeholders and therefore bring local needs, constraints, problems and challenges to the interested parties.   

The following meetings were organized: Giorgi Gvakharia, Business Ombudsman of Georgia; Ketevan Vashakidze, Director of the Eurasia Partnership Foundation; Davit Usupashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia; Gubaz Sanikidze, by that time Chair of the Parliamentary Committee of Diaspora and Caucasus Issues; currently Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia; Ruslan Pogosyan, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Civic Integration; Gocha Tsopurashvili, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Georgia; Lika Gigauri and Giorgi Sharvashidze, Deputy Ministers of Education and Science of Georgia; Tamar Manjavidze, Head of Executive Office of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia; Irakli Zhorzholiani, Director of the LEPL “Children and Youth Development Fund” functioning under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia; Nugzar Kandelaki, Head of Youth Affairs Department of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia; Tinatin Ghogheliani, Head of Civil Integration Division at the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality; Koba Chopliani and Bella Osipova, Coordinators of the National Minority Council functioning under aegis of the Public Defender’s Office of Georgia; Ivane Kiguradze, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Culture, as well as five MPs, members of the same Committee.

The meetings resulted in concrete actions and initiatives between governmental representatives and project participants. In addition, an excursion to the Parliament, as well as to the Sports Museum function at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia was organized.

In line with awareness-raising, educational and advocacy components, two TV-shows were prepared and broadcasted at locally available TV companies in Akhalkalaki (ATV-12) and in Ninotsminda (TV Company “Parvana”) municipalities. In addition, 4 subject related articles were published in online newsletter Jnews.ge

Press-service

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