Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia congratulates the Yazidis living in Georgia on the Eda Ezi holiday and wishes them peace, prosperity and health. ''Eda Ezi is one of the distinguished Yezidi holidays, which is celebrated in December. For three days before the holiday all Yezidi families prepare special dinners for relatives, acquaintances and neighbors and commemorate the dead. According to Yazidi stories, the day marks the birth of the universe and start of a new life'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: www.ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. ''Young Barristers'' officially appeals to the Parliament of Georgia regarding participation in the State Constitutional Commission. ''The organization will use the opportunity, provided on the basis of a statute of the State Constitutional Commission, according to which the Commission is composed of experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations'' – is stated on the website of the organization. In full… Source:    barristers.ge

Tbilisi. There have been several years already that a part of citizens actively demand easing narco-policy, including decriminalization of marijuana. ''Training Center for Liberalism'' has enquired what marijuana decriminalization means in the opinion of people and whether they support it or not. Source: The website of ''LibCenter'' in a social network

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center publishes a study regarding activities of the State Agency for Religious Issues. ''Despite declaring about enhancement of its activities towards religion and security, the Agency does not actually have a strategy and a plan for prevention of religious extremism'' – is stated on the website of the organization. In full… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Democracy Initiative (GDI) with the support of the United Nations Association (UNAG) and the USAID has made a social clip within the framework of a program PITA. Freedom of belief and acknowledgement of equality are our historic choices...     Source:    The website of the UNAG in a social network

Tbilisi. At the Training Center of Justice, free trainings for local self-government representatives on legislative updates, made as a result of a land reform, have been concluded. ''Within the framework of the training, participants had the opportunity to discuss complex and specific cases from their practice and to obtain relevant recommendations'' – is stated on the website of the organization. In full… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. ''Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen – AYFB'' assesses those threats, which may be caused by the increase of an excise tax on tobacco products in such volume. ''It is unclear why the government attempts to connect the increase of an excise tax on tobacco products with the health care of citizens, particularly when it is obvious to everyone that on the background of a 2017 budget deficit the increase of an excise tax on tobacco and other products is unavoidable and that the real reason for increasing excise taxes is the budget deficit to be balanced'' – is stated on the website of the organization. In full… Source:afba.ge

Tbilisi. In Tbilisi the first children's hospice has been built. The hospice is a house where children with chronic illness will spend the rest of their life, and where it will be ensured that their pain is managed, spiritual and physical aspects are taken care of and family members are supported. A ''Children’s Hospice Friend'' competition has been announced to facilitate improvement of the children's hospice. Any interested individual or organization is encouraged to provide an assistance. In full… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On 3 December 2016, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Government of Georgia presented its first report to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The event was organised with assistance from the European Union in Georgia and UNDP Georgia. In full… Source: Social Page

Tbilisi. ''Transparency International – Georgia'' presents evaluations of those bills, which have not been reviewed completely by the Eighth Parliament and are appropriate to be further discussed by the Ninth Parliament. In full... Source:www.transparency.ge

On the 18th November in Kutaisi and on 22th November in Tbilisi was held workshop on ''Benchmarking in 15 Georgian municipalities''. Meeting was organized by the LEPL Vano Khukunaishvili center for effective governance system and territorial arrangement reform and ''Good Governance Initiative in Georgia'' (GGI). ''The meeting was attended by municipal administration heads and the persons responsible of selected municipal services. Workshop focused on introducing: Benchmarking project to municipal services representatives; methodological approaches used in survey and main benchmarking indicators'', is noted in the statement. In full… Source: The organization’s web-page in a social network

Tbilisi. ''Coalition for Euro – Atlantic Georgia'' releases a statement related to staffing a Trust Group of the Defense and Security Committee of the Parliament of Georgia. ''For successful operation of the Trust Group it is necessary to staff it with deputies having respective competence, biography and reputation'' – is noted in the statement. In full… Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information publishes an article of Giorgi Lomtadze: ''European Parliament Resolution against Russian Propaganda''. ''Mentioned resolution univocally and clearly blames Russia, as well as terrorist groups in leading misinformation and propaganda'' – is stated in the article. In full… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. A presentation of activities, performed within the grant competition announced by the Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training Centre was held on November 17. 9 non-governmental organizations, funded in the framework of the competition, made the presentation. In total through the competition, which was announced on June 17, were funded 41 non-governmental organizations that conduct presentations about implemented projects step by step - on November 17-20. We remind that the projects, implemented by non-governmental organizations, aimed at supporting raising levels of electoral awareness and civic engagement of the electorate, including representatives of vulnerable groups, by the elections of the Parliament of Georgia. In full… Source: electionreforms.ge

Tbilisi. On November 16, the International Day for Tolerance was celebrated throughout the world. On November 16, 1995, UNESCO adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. Tolerance and Diversity Institute has prepared several video-clips on tolerance issues. They reflect how big role acceptance, recognition and acknowledgement of distinctive was playing in Georgia. In full… Source: Tolerance and Diversity Institute

Tbilisi. AIESEC Georgia begins implementation of local social projects related to the United Nations sustainable development goals. "If you are interested in problems, existing in Georgia, and would like to find the ways of their solution, join us” – is stated on the website of the organization in a social network. In full… Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. On December 8, Social Entrepreneurship Forum 2016 will be held at the "Holiday Inn” hotel. Those willing to attend it, must fill in an application form. Application form… Source: Social network

Tbilisi. On December 17-18, ''Jump Start Georgia'' is organizing a data visualization hackathon with the American Councils FLEX graduate program funding. The hackathon can be attended by researchers, statisticians, designers, developers and those, who are interested in data and communication. In full... Source:jumpstart.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association calls on the government to treat state importance interests of relation with diaspora carefully. The organization considers that the government should not take a hasty decision regarding abolishment of the Office of the State Minister for diaspora issues. In full… Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Partnership for Human Rights publishes an infographic, which reflects an increased indicator and reasons of transfer of persons with disabilities from the Martkopi pension to a mental health care unit. In full… Source: phrgeorgia.wordpress.com

Civil Society Institute Batumi Branch is attending on the workshop and conference which will be organised from 7 -10 November 2016 in Minsk (Belarus). The International conference ''Initiatives for establishing an educational system and retraining of managers for residential houses and system for efficient information dissemination for house owners'' will be organised in Johannes Rau International Centre for Education and Exchange, on 9th of November, 2016. The event is organised within the project ''The way forward for reforms in the housing sector: empowering grass-root homeowners associations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine''. The project aims to support the national housing reforms and strengthen the civil society organisations role as watchdog; to promote housing management, energy-efficient measures, barrier-free living in multi-storey apartment building; to improve the interaction between civil society organisation and authorities at the national, regional and local levels. In full… Source: civilin.org