Tbilisi. The “Salam” platform successfully continues to document endangered Ibero-Caucasian languages that are common in Georgia. “We would like to inform you that the #Salam platform, with the financial support of the Endangered Language Fund operating in the USA, creates an audio/video archive of languages. This year, with the support of the Fund, we started establishment of an archive of critically endangered Tsovatushetian and Udi languages. Data, collected within the framework of the project, will be provided to all interested parties in the form of supporting material. As part of the linguistic expedition, scientists are currently visiting the village of Zemo Alvani, populated by Tushetians of the Tsovati community, where active recording of Tsovatushetian texts is performed. Today they were at the pasture of Tsovatushetians in #Tbatana, 2000-2300 meters above sea level. We hereby share photos from our expedition”, - is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. Read more…  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Web portal of civil society organizations' will resume its activities in September… The web portal of civil society organizations' - www.csogeorgia.org – conveys feelings of gratitude to its users and says them goodbye. The portal will resume the activities in September. Stay in touch with us, we will be back soon…

Tbilisi. According to news released by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information, on August 14, the Bureau of the Supreme Council of Adjara approved the first Action Plan of the Supreme Council Open Government for 2020-2021. “The Action Plan aims at increasing civic engagement and access to information, enhancement of accountability, as well as introduction of innovations and technologies within the Supreme Council”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) negatively appraises a decision of the Parliament of Georgia, according to which the Government of Georgia is granted authority until January 1, 2021 to restrict rights on the basis of by-laws. “We consider that although adoption of relevant regulations related to spread of the new coronavirus serves a legitimate purpose, granting authority to the Government of Georgia to restrict rights indicated in the bill still does not comply with the standard of the Constitution of Georgia and the above mentioned restrictions should be applied in accordance with law”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

The European Union in Georgia and UNDP Georgia today released a survey that assesses the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the packaging value chain businesses in Georgia... Source: EU’s page in the social network

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), together with the “Memorial” Society, launches a large-scale campaign. “The first activity is to demand an increase in a household subsidy defined for those repressed, as it is GEL7, a subsidy envisaged for specifically those recognized as victims of political repressions (along with people affected by the Chernobyl nuclear facility) that is lowest among amounts of household subsidies set by the state for various social categories. IDFI addressed an open letter to the Prime Minister of Georgia demanding to increase the subsidy”. Read more… Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has filed a petition demanding to increase a household subsidy to victims of political repressions.  The organization requests you to get acquainted with it and sign...  “We write this petition in order to get a household subsidy, which constitutes GEL7 per month, increased to victims of political repressions and equalized with the amount of a household subsidy defined for other social categories – GEL44. Increase of the household subsidy by the Government of Georgia to those repressed will be a significant support to 10000 citizens, victims of political repressions in Georgia, and a real state assistance to them” – is stated in the description of the petition.  Source: ichange.gov.ge

Tbilisi. The Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council held first remote sitting. The meeting was led by the Chairman of the Council, Mr. Kakha Kuchava, who discussed the current activities and future plans of the Council. Giorgi Kakhiani and Nino Tsilosani, members of the Open Government Permanent Parliamentary Council, presented an interim report on the Council's activities for 2020 and summarized the progress of the action plan implementation. The abovementioned remote sitting of the Council was attended by the representatives of NGOs and international organizations as well as the members of the Consultative Group under the Council. It should be mentioned that the Open Governance Permanent Parliamentary Council is implementing its commitments under the OGP Action Plan in cooperation with the Consultative Group. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) responds to a strike announced by social agents. The organization considers it alarming that the Ministry of Health, as an agency responsible for protection of labor rights and promotion of social dialogue in the country, refuses to create basic working conditions for its employees and fails to ensure a fair and equal environment for negotiations. EMC calls on the Ministry of Health to meet fair demands of social agents. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

On June 25, the Civil Society Institute (CSI) conducted an online consultation - webinar on issues related to taxation of civil society organizations. Representatives of 31 civil society organizations participated in the webinar. The online consultation covered such issues as: taxation and administration, including actual issues entailed by the coronavirus. The online consultation - webinar was carried out within the framework of the “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project, which is implemented by the consortium: the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), and the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) under the supervision of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS). The project is financially supported by the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Tbilisi. Facilitators to the political dialogue release a joint statement and call all sides to fully implement 8 March agreement. “The 8 March agreement was a historic achievement, agreed by a broad majority of political parties and Members of Parliament. As Parliament prepares to vote on Constitutional amendments that would establish a more proportional electoral system in Georgia, we again urge all sides to fully implement the 8 March agreement”. Read more… Source: ge.usembassy.gov

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a blogpost on amendments in the legislature of the Russian Federation during Covid-19. “Due to the Coronavirus epidemic, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin has postponed a vote on the constitutional amendments, which was scheduled on 22 April 2020, to an unspecified future date. However, meanwhile, the legislative body of the Russian Federation (Duma) managed to initiate a number of legislative amendments that, according to independent researchers, lawyers and opposition politicians, further restrict already restricted human rights”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center offers an overview of the report published by the United States Department of State on June 10 about freedom of religion in Georgia. “While describing a common legal status, it is emphasized in the report that in Georgia the freedom of religion is guaranteed and persecution on religious grounds is prohibited by the Constitution. At the same time, it is noted that the Constitution of Georgia recognizes the special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the relationship between the state and the Church is regulated on the basis of the Concordat. It is stated in the report that the Concordat gives the dominant religious organization such privileges that other organizations do not have”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Signatory civil society organizations respond to the expected process of assignment of the new State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality and call on the Government to establish a system based on democratic consultations as well as to enhance the Office of the State Minister both institutionally and politically. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) submitted its opinions in regard to amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, initiated by Members of Parliament, to the legislative body. “GYLA appraises reduction of number of members in the office of Speaker of Parliament to 4 positively. However, it calls on the Parliament to determine positions of the 1st and 3rd Deputy Speakers of Parliament as positions reserved for the opposition”. Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Network of Centers for Civic Engagement presents explanations of a target state program for reduction of harm caused by infection (COVID-19), the source of which is the new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2), and frequently asked questions. The document is available on the website of the Network. Read more…

“Republic - our tradition” is a cycle of short films that gets you acquainted with life of the first republic of 1918-1921. It is prepared within the framework of the “Civil Georgia” (civil.ge) project with the support of EWMI Access and USAID/Georgia – the US Agency for International Development. Read more… Source: The website of “Republic – our tradition” in a social network

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes a blog post: Ivane Javakhishvili and independence of Georgia. “Two most important events preceded restoration of state independence of Georgia: restoration of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church (March 12, 1917) and establishment of the Tbilisi University (January 26, 1918). As historian Otar Janelidze states, Ivane Javakhishvili, a well-known Georgian scientist and public figure, has made an outstanding contribution to the both of these glorious causes. If in the fight for autocephaly he limited himself to just participation, establishment of the first national higher education institution of Georgia was entirely the result of his efforts”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) publishes an interesting article by Yuri Slezkine, a Russian-born American historian, writer, and translator – “The Soviet Union like a communal apartment, i.e. how the Soviet Union encouraged ethnic specificity”. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. As the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) states, the Government should provide a clear explanation of legal grounds for expected restrictions. “On April 24, the Government presented intended deadlines for lifting restrictions. According to the anti-crisis plan, restrictions on economic activity will be lifted in stages, with an average of two weeks between stages. As the plan envisages, restrictions on certain economic activities will be further prolonged after May 22, however, it is unknown what legal grounds are going to be referred on to restrict the freedom of entrepreneurship after the end of the state of emergency. For instance, according to the plan, the opening of domestic tourism is intended from June 15, while the opening of large shopping centers (so-called malls) is planned only on the fourth stage, and etc.” Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) publishes a policy document that contains a review of possible rearrangement of the balance of power in the EU after Brexit. “In particular, the document includes a review of various possible scenarios of how the EU may change its foreign policy, what the relation with neighboring and Eastern Partnership countries (EaP) will be and, ultimately, what challenges and opportunities Brexit poses to Georgia in terms of its relations with both the EU and the Great Britain”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Betlemi District Festival 2012 – Celebration of Fun, Diversity and Unity of the District! Throughout one week, we will be posting photo and video materials of 2009-2019 years’ Festivals. We invite you to share your experience as one of the participant or guest of the Betlemi District Festival! Tell us about the Betlemi District Festival by sharing your favorite photo, video, story on ICOMOS Georgia Facebook Page. Read more… Source: Social network