Tbilisi. Since 1985, every year on December 5, the world celebrates the International Day of Volunteers. The Georgia Red Cross congratulates all volunteers on this day and thanks them for their help. “Volunteers have made a great contribution to the work of the Red Cross. Their voluntary, unconditional, selfless helping and advocacy of people reaches an amazing scale. The Georgia Red Cross has 15,000 registered volunteers, and the world's largest humanitarian network has almost 15 million volunteers”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Samegrelo. TI georgia’s Zugdidi office together with Committees of Concerned Citizens applied to Zugdidi City Hall with a request to pave Archil Firtskhalava Street and arrange drainage channels. The organization calls on Zugdidi City Hall to take into account the solution to the infrastructural problems of Firtskhalava Street in the 2023 budget project. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. To celebrate Global Media and Information Literacy Week, USAID is sharing a series of video tutorials where anchor and influencer Davit Gorgiladze explains in detail how to protect personal information on Facebook, manage ad preferences, and other nuances of digital hygiene. „Each video concentrates on the most crucial topics, including how the FB algorithm collects and analyzes personal information and interests, why and how private businesses or political actors use this information, and how it could be abused against consumer’s will. Today's topic is controlling your own algorithm“. Source: The organization’s page on the social network

According to the EUvsDiSinfo, Russia’s deliberate attacks on civilians in Ukraine are accompanied by disinformation campaigns. One of the Kremlin’s lies tell that Kamikadze drones targeted non-residential areas only. In fact, Russia deliberately targets civilians. At least 4 people were killed in a drone attack on Kyiv. Among targets – a 120-year-old apartment building in the city center. Read more… Source: EU’s page on the social network

Guria and Imereti. On October 11-12, 2022,  the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) in cooperation with the National Parliament Library of Georgia and Center of Regional Initiatives - “Bright Future” held a presentation on the issue of repressed people in Ozurgeti and Khoni and a screening of the film "Cemetery of the Shot in Batumi" shot by Radio Free Georgia/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Read more… Source: idfi.ge

America. October 11-13, 2022, Public Defender Nino Lomjaria paid an official visit to Washington, where she held meetings with high officials of the US Senate, the Presidential Administration and the Department of State, as well as heads of international organizations. According to the Public Defender, the main message of our American partners is that the United States of America will unwaveringly stand by Georgia, as long as the Georgian people are willing to receive assistance in the process of democratic development. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Samegrelo. A car belonging to the Tsalenjikha Mayor, Gia Kharchilava, was set on fire in front of his house. Gia Kharchilava is the only Mayor throughout the country, who was elected from the spectrum of political opposition. He sees a link between the aforementioned incident and his official activity. Transparency International Georgia calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to instantly and impartially investigate the fact of burning of Tsalenjikha Mayor’s car and inform society about the results of the investigation. Read more... Source: The organization's page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the MAC Georgia-s information, this year, they have brought together 65 volunteers to be companions to the elderly. Our volunteers started on the 5th of September and are both meeting in-person and online. This round of Mestumre will last for six months and will involve beneficiaries from eight elderly houses around the country. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of Ukrainians keep pushing across Oskil River, advancing near Lyman. An account of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine in the Special Issue 72 of the Rondeli Russian Military Digest. Read more… Source: gfsis.org.ge

Tbilisi. Is your business interested to meet Georgian social enterprises from all over Georgia, to see their products and services in one space? Join the B2B exhibition organised by CSRDG within the EU project on 30 September. Business representatives will have the opportunity to meet 50 social enterprises with diverse profiles, discuss future collaboration and develop responsible procurement practices. Find out more in the video. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. September 8, the Georgia Red Cross celebrates its 104th anniversary. “The Georgia Red Cross Society has been carrying out humanitarian activities throughout the country for more than a century. We congratulate all of Georgia, especially our representatives across the country and volunteers, on the birthday of the Georgia Red Cross and thank them for their selfless work”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Since February, the EU has imposed hard-hitting sanctions against the Kremlin, with the aim of halting the invasion of Ukraine.  State of play on sanctions read more… Source: eu-solidarity-ukraine.ec.europa.eu

In response to Russia’s continuing war of aggression against Ukraine, EU has recently adopted the “maintenance and alignment” package of restrictive measures against Russia. New measures are intended to tighten existing economic sanctions targeting Russia, perfect their implementation and strengthen their effectiveness. See details here... See Q&A here...  Source: www.eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. Rondeli foundation shares the blogpost: Why Is Biden’s Middle East Tour Important? On July 13-16, the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, met with the leaders of the pro-American and allied countries of the Middle East within the framework of his first official tour in the region. “The interest and active involvement of the US in the issues of the Middle East is important for the regions bordering it, including the South Caucasus. The situation in the Middle East’s neighborhood cannot be of non-importance for the United States. This situation, along with many other matters, increases the degree of Washington's interest in Georgia”. Read more…  Source: gfsis.org.ge

Tbilisi. “Thanks so much for inviting us to be a part of Georgia, Georgia will always be a part of us”. - after 4 years as the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell is completing his diplomatic mission here. Watch the video message of the Ambassador and his spouse, Mette, below. Video… Source: EU’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the information of the Social Justice Center since Russia started waging a war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 to 9 March (inclusive) there has been a growing demand on the registration of right over real estate by Russian, Ukrainian and Belarus nationals. Russian nationals account for the most registered property rights totaling 23.945 items. 3.350 Ukrainian nationals now own 4.423 real estates while 603 items are registered under the ownership of Belarus citizens. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. At the request of locals, an interdepartmental commission established by the Decree of the Government of Georgia is examining events that transpired in Itkhvisi in March 2022, three months after geodynamic processes damaged residents’ homes in the area. The absence of an independent expert and a local representative in the commission's composition creates mistrust among Itkhvisi’s residents. Doubts are exacerbated by the fact that people are unaware of the commission's methodological approach. Furthermore, before the completion of the commission's work, officials of the local government offered insufficient and legally ambiguous compensation to affected families. The local population requests more information about the commission's work and asks the involved state authorities to ensure the commission's operations are transparent by making its protocols, plans, and deadlines public. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Adjara. NGOs are responding to the changes in the Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Code of Georgia, initiated in the parliament by the Batumi Municipality. “We believe that the package of legislative changes contains the danger of further aggravation of the problem of chaotic development of the city of Batumi, creates risks of unjustified, potentially corrupt decisions by the Batumi City Hall, and avoidance of construction regulations by construction companies as a result of special privileges granted to them”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. GCSD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Institute for Development and Diplomacy. The Memorandum aims to implement academic programs, joint training courses, research projects as well as to exchange experts for participation in different academic events in each other’s countries. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the IDFI, June 9 is International Archives Day, established by the International Council on Archives (ICA). Hereby we present the archival documents collected by IDFI - the so-called "Stalinist lists", based on which more than 3,600 people in Georgia were victims of repression. Majority of these people were  convicted under the "first category" and sentenced to be shot, together with their property being confiscated. Archival documents cover the period from May 31, 1937 to September 12, 1938. The documents list the individuals who were subject to the shooting or deportation for the duration of various periods. Importantly, 11 out of 13 lists are signed directly by Stalin. Read more…  Source: historyproject.ge

Tbilisi. Association “Anika” participated in a training course, which provides training for drivers of municipal buses moving in Tbilisi in the field of service and traffic standards for people with disabilities. “Our Day Care Center participants discussed the barriers and obstacles they face when using public transport”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

The EU has adopted the 6th package of sanctions in response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine: Ban on import of Russian oil; Broadcasting prohibition for Russian media; De-swifting more Russian banks; Sanctions in response to war crimes. See detailed information about new EU sanctions here… and also here… Source: The EU’s page on the social network