Tbilisi.The winners of the “EU Human Rights in Film Award” 2023 have been revealed!  EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski awarded the outstanding filmmakers in two categories at the Tbilisi International Film Festival. Congratulations to two talented creators for their impactful contributions to human rights storytelling, Luka Beradze the winner of the documentary award for his film “Smiling Georgia” and Abbas Amini, the winner in the fiction category for his film „Endless Borders“.  More… Source: EU

Tbilisi. UNA Georgia is proud to announce it’s partnership with Tbilisi Open Air/AlterVision. “If you are planning to attend the festival this June 23 - 25, you must stop by our colorful space during the daytime hours! We will meet you with a range of engaging talks, activities, and games, centered around the topics that unite us all - Diversity, Equality, Freedom, Activism. We are thrilled to meet the many young and diverse people at the festival, and we thank the Tbilisi Open Air/AlterVision for this incredible opportunity”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the U.S. Embassy in Georgia, a Georgian student, studying in America through the FLEX exchange program, was selected as “student of the month” from among hundreds of participants across the world.  “Mariam Kurdadze was chosen for her high academic performance, volunteerism, and for showing exceptional enthusiasm in sharing her country's Culture”. Read more… Source: The U.S. Embassy’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The multimedia art exhibition “What makes me human?” is on until 21 December at Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. Supported by European Union in Georgia and UNDP Georgia, this fantastic display of contemporary Georgian art celebrates the deepest aspirations of the human spirit – freedom, dignity, justice and rights Read more… Source: www.undp.org

Georgia. Spectacular Georgian fortresses, castles and towers are the focus of a Parliamentary thematic inquiry that studies the potential to revitalize disused historic monuments. The inquiry looked into ways to bring new life to historic sites, using their cultural value for redeveloping surrounding areas. It explored policy approaches for sustainable protection and preservation of historic heritage and studied the role of national and local authorities, the private sector and civil society in designing conservation and management tools. Read more… Source: www.undp.org

Tbilisi. On International Day of the Girl Child UNFPA together with the EU decided to use art, a universal language to speak to parents, children and teachers about how essential gender equality is in our society and families and brought a puppet show "Esma Starts a Car” to the stage. “Esma Starts a Car” is a puppet show for girls and boys who dream, break stereotypes, want to make the world a better place and whose families are proud of their children regardless of their gender. Read more… Source: eu4georgia.eu

Samegrelo. The EU granted the winner city of Zugdidi up to €300,000 to implement its Cultural Development Strategy within the EU4Culture project grants call. Zugdidi’s 5-year cultural development strategy outlines the city’s overarching and transversal cultural themes and priorities, drawing upon objectives, possibilities, and perspectives for 2022 to 2026. The city has outlined three main strategic themes and ambitions that position Zugdidi as a City of Cultural Heritage Innovation, a Creative City of Arts and Crafts and a Creative City of Gastronomy. Read more…  Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. The Georgia Fair Labor Platform is investigating mass layoffs at museums run by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, which appear to have targeted employees for their critical views and/or trade union membership. The member organizations of the Fair Labor Platform are currently investigating the legality of the dismissal and reorganization of staff from the museum system. If necessary, we will provide legal support to members of the Trade Union of Science, Education and Culture, in addition to protecting the labor rights of other persons employed in the Ministry of Culture. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The film “Europe and Me” and all other resources are now available on the European Union’s webpage. The film has been created by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia in close cooperation with the film director Giorgi Kvelidze for Europe Day 2022. Read more… Source: eu4georgia.eu

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) shares information about Tbilisi events of 14 April 1978 and the excerpts from the Western Press. “In 1977, the new Soviet Constitution was adopted and the Highest Council of the Georgia SSR discussed the constitutional plan according to which the Georgian language would not be a state language on the territory of Georgia anymore, which caused a huge dissent in the society. The protest wave culminated on 14 April 1978”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to the information of the TDI, 8 April is the international Roma Day (established in 1990). “Georgian Roma mainly live in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Poti, Ozurgeti, Kobuleti, Kakheti and Gardabani villages. Roma face many systemic problems in Georgia in terms of public education, healthcare, integration, and employment”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Shida Kartli. Ambassador Degnan visited the Gori American Shelf, where she engaged with students, teachers, and local officials to discuss the role of education and culture in the development of Gori’s citizens and youth. The U.S. Mission to Georgia is proud to support 15 American Spaces throughout Georgia. Read more… Source: The U.S. Embassy’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Since Tea Tsulukiani was appointed to this position, 70 workers have been laid off from the culture for various reasons related to reorganization and structural changes. In the end, this tendency turned into massive persecution of the workforce. Social Justice Center, ISFED, and GYLA have already been defending the interests of 22 former culture sphere representatives, we will be supporting Gaga Chkheidze too. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. On March 21 Nowruz Bayram is celebrated in Georgia like many other countries.  “I congratulate our fellow citizens on the Nowruz Bayram holiday and share with them the joy of this day. I wish you the victory of warmth over cold, light over darkness, life over death, both in your personal life and all over the world. We all need this victory especially today”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Imereti. Last week, MAC Georgia's Theatre Festival’s Closing Ceremony for 2021 was held at the Zestafoni State Theatre. “Best Performance went to Zeda Simoneti Public School for "Waltz of Dr. Papadachi", directed by Zurab Abesadze”. Read more... Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Guria. Mac Georgia is pleased to announce the start of MAC’s 2021 Regional School Theater Festival. “The first performance took place at the Chokhatauri Cultural Center, where our Shua Amaghleba theater club prepared and performance play “Ra gitkhrat, Rit gagakharot””. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The twelfth-century marriage between a Georgian queen and an Ossetian prince is one of the most potent symbols of Georgian-Ossetian relations. The story of love and dynastic marriage, enriched with the historical background of the Georgian ‘Golden Age’, was brought onstage at the Shota Rustaveli Theater and Film State University with support from the United Kingdom (UK) and UNDP.  “Adapted by Nino Popiashvili, directed by Tamar Khizanishvili and produced by the non-governmental organization Caucasian Mosaic, the play features a rich cast of ethnic Georgian and Ossetian actors (Tinatin Kobaladze, Manana Tsintsadze, Lili Khuriti, Nana Khuriti, Vazha Pukhaevi, Viktoria Jusoeva and Megi Tedeeva). Presented in both Georgian and Ossetian and using music composed by ethnic Georgian and Ossetian composers, the play quotes from the Georgian epos ‘Knight in the Panther’s Skin’, written during Queen Tamar’s reign”.  Read more… Source: www.ge.undp.org

Tbilisi. MAC Georgia is pleased to present you movie ‘Twelve Lessons’, directed by Giorgi Mrevlishvili. “Filmed in Guria, Georgia, Twelve Lessons follows the life of Valeri Kotrikadze as he seeks to prepare Vako, his grandson with Autism, to be an active and productive member of society. Faced with tremendous challenges and the absence of services and local support, Valeri fights on, determined to teach Vako the lessons he needs in order to succeed”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Women’s Movement and organizations, working on human rights, respond to information spread on a social network in regard to unbearable working conditions of Georgian models and express their solidarity with all people employed in this field. “Unfortunately, systemic violation and neglect of labor rights still remain the biggest challenge in the country, and the fashion industry is no exception. Although modeling is a standard labor activity, which implies full appliance of labor legislation to this category of employees, it is a fact that models in Georgia do not enjoy even basic labor rights: most of them do not have an employment contract and work with an irregular work schedule in exchange for an inadequate remuneration, while in some cases - without any compensation. ...We consider that it requires a systemic approach by the state to ensure protection of labor rights of those employed in the fashion industry. It is necessary to study this issue in depth and ensure strict supervision of implementation of labor legislation in the field”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more... Source: The website of Women’s Movement on a social network

Guria. Through the joint efforts of the Human Rights Secretariat of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the UNFPA Georgia Country Office and the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, Women’s History Month was celebrated in the municipalities of Chokhatauri, Ozurgeti and Lanchkhuti, in cooperation with the Office of the Governor of Guria, with the support of the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia and the European Union. Within the framework of the events, there was a meeting held between Giorgi Sakhokia, Governor of Guria, and Lela Bakradze, Head of the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, to discuss future cooperation in the field of human rights, promotion of gender equality and youth empowerment. Read more… Source: georgia.unfpa.org

Kvemo Kartli. Civil society organizations respond to developments that took place on March 21 in Marneuli, where activists of the “Movement for Georgia”, along with local population, demonstratively violated the curfew at 21:00.  “We have repeatedly stated that the Government tries to restrict freedom of expression unconstitutionally, justifying it with protection of public health. This time it is especially alarming that we are dealing with the threat of restriction of physical freedom of citizens and their criminal liability. It is noteworthy that the activists decided to hold the rally after the authorities did not heed a request of ethnic Azerbaijani citizens and did not lift the restriction of movement for the overnight of Nowruz Bayram. We consider that this decision is inconsistent and, moreover, discriminatory against ethnic minorities. The Government could make an exception in this case, especially on the background of intended easing of regulations for a football match on March 28, 2021, in fact, restrictions, for instance, were also lifted on the night of January 1”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source: www.gdi.ge