Kakheti. At the initiative of the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Council of Europe, the Georgian-Ossetian Civil Forum has organized a screening of documentary "Peace Express" in Sagarejo, produced as part of the project "Youth Peace Express". Within the framework of this project, Georgian and Ossetian students have shared among each other their problems, views and experience. The meeting has hosted a discussion over Georgian-Ossetian relations and conflict.

Tbilisi. Economy Policy Research Center released a new report - "FOCUS on Armenia: Eurasian Customs Union Crawling Closer to Georgia". The report Source: eprc.ge  

Tbilisi. The exhibition hall of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation has hosted the exhibition by photo club "Gorelovka". At the initiative of photograph Natela Grigalashvili, a photo club was founded in Javakheti, village Gorelovka. The club unites twelve Georgian, Russian and Armenian residents of this village. The first exhibition of "Gorelovka" was organized in August 2014 in the village Gorelovka. The project was implemented with financial support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Source: 17maisi.org

December 10th is Human Rights Day and to celebrate this occasion, fundsforngos.org has developed a list of major international funders and their grants programs for NGOs around the world. This list is useful for those seeking funds for the protection and promotion of human rights. Funds Source: www.fundsforngos.org  

Tbilisi. The American Research Institute of the South Caucasus announces the opening of its Georgia Branch.The ceremony will take place on December 11, 2014, at 19:00, at Ilia State University, room #G106, andwill be marked by a public lecture featuring Professor Stephen Jones, ARISC Vice President, and BekaKobakhidze, PhD student from Tbilisi State University. The subject of the lecture is "Sir Oliver Wardropand his Political Achievements in the Recognition of the First Republic of Georgia”. For the full text Source:  The American Research Institute of the South Caucasus  

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released on its website the information on five success cases of November. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" addresses the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to add religious studies to the list of optional subjects in the public schools. The organization has already signed the relevant petition, which was sent to the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Tamar Sanikidze on 5 December 2014 on behalf of 42 CSOs. For the full text Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. On December 5th, Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) Georgia and Regional Studies Center (RSC) Armenia held a joint discussion panel: Regional Divergence: The European Union and the Eurasian Union. At the same time, EPRC presented its new report Georgia and the Neighbors: FOCUS on Armenia - Eurasian Customs Union Crawling Closer to Georgia. The South Caucasus has once again re-emerged as an arena of competition, as Georgia has successfully signed its Association Agreement with the EU while Armenia has chosen to seek membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Union. In light of this new regional divergence, in its new report Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC) examines the implications for the region, with an added focus on the political economy dimension of the possible ramifications for bilateral Georgian-Armenian relations. Source: eprc.ge  

Tbilisi. The "Liberal" has published the stories of mothers of children with disabilities. Union "Dioskuria" is implementing the project "Women for the Children's Rights" with financial support of the "Women Fund". By means of social videos, the project illustrates powerful women who have managed to overcome obstacles. The project aims to encourage parents of persons with disabilities not to create barriers between their children and the society, to boldly talk about their children's condition, to self-realize and acknowledge that parental functions must be distributed equally when bringing up a child with disability, etc.   </iframe</iframe></div> <div> </div> <div>  <iframe width="480" height="270" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/p_HfFH4rvIE">       Source: liberali  

Tbilisi. The Tbilisi IvaneJavakhishvili State University has hosted a public lecture on December 2 on the "Ethics of Criminal Justice - Key Issues for Social Workers and Lawyers". Meeting participants have discussed ethical issues and principles in the European as well as Georgian justice systems. Focus was made on the ethical principles and the major challenges of social workers and lawyers working in this system in this respect. Public lecture was organized as part of the EU-funded project "Supporting Criminal Justice System Reform in Georgia", in partnership with the Tbilisi IvaneJavakhishvili State University, Ilia State University and the Georgian Association of Social Workers. Source: the Georgian Association of Social Workers.

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information released a blog post - "There Are Positive Amendments in the Legislation for Aliens Lawfully Staying in Georgia”. "The recently adopted amendments to the law sets new regulations linked with the issue of immigration visa as well as residence permit. It should me mentioned here that immigration visa is inter alia issued to the individuals arriving in Georgia with the purpose of work or studying in one of the authorized educational institutions. Overall the most important amendments concern foreigners who lawfully entered Georgia before the 17th of March 2014 and are still staying within the borders of Georgia". For the full text Source: idfi.ge  

On November 28, 2014, according to information received from Secretary General of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), the Public Defender of Georgia became a voting member of the institute. A decision was taken by the Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute following an official request for membership of the Public Defender of Georgia. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge  

Tbilisi. Photo exhibition "Soviet Past in the Tbilisi Shades" was presented on December 1 at the exhibition hall of the Georgian Writers' House with support of the Heinrich Boll Foundation. The exhibition, which aims to foster public discussions over importance of preserving memories of contemporary history, will last in the exhibition hall of the Writers' House until 7 December 2014. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The "Muslim and Christian Friendship Institute" has organized a cultural event - "We have countless colors". The event hosted an exhibition-sale of works by professional painters and amateur photographers, as well as exhibition of paintings by children. Event participants included Muslim, Yezidi and Christian authors. The exhibition was devoted to making these very topics closely associated. Key message of the event was: "We, the Muslim, Yezidi, Christian and people of any other faith are all Georgians". Source: 17maisi.org

Tbilisi. The School of Liberalism has conducted a street opinion poll. Have the citizens heard about the new "Alliance and Strategic Partnership Agreement" executed between Russia and Abkhazia on November 24? What in their opinion the Georgian authorities should do to prevent Russian annexation in the occupied Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region? - students of the School of Liberalism have interviewed citizens.     Source: the organization's page in the social network.  

Guria. A photo exhibition – "From Makharadze to Ozurgeti" was opened on November 28 in the Ozurgeti Civic Engagement center. The Civic Engagement Center and the Ozurgeti Historic Museum have organized the exhibition. The exhibition illustrated photos of buildings and streets of Makharadze city taken in the 1960s, which are preserved in the funds of the Ozurgeti Museum. Further, contemporary photos of the same places were exhibited. The photo exhibition aimed to demonstrate urban changes that the city has underwent over years. The Ozurgeti Civic Engagement Center will host the photo exhibition until December 26. Source: the Civic Engagement Center.

Tbilisi. The Council of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics has commented on the "Other Angle" TV program aired on November 27 by TV Company "Imedi". The Council "finds that several sections of the program contradict the Broadcaster's Code of Conduct", media.ge states. For the full text. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. The "Frontline Georgia" Club has hosted on November 27 Gogi Gvakharia's public lecture - "Fate of the Georgian Cinema Avant-Garde: from Tree-Sitting to an Orange Field". The Lecture     Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The "Young Barristers” addresses to the President with a proposal to abolish the decrees of the former president regarding deprived property cases. "The organization "Young Barristers” calls the president, Giorgi Margvelashvili for revocation of certain decrees and regulations of the ex-president, which creates legal obstacles and an impossible situation in the real decision-making process regarding deprived property cases". For the full text Source: barristers.ge  

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released the statistics. The organization has requested from the Ministry of Interior statistics on crimes registered and opened in 2003-2014. "Unfortunately, the data were provided incompletely". For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released the report - "Best practices of the European states on secret surveillance". The document reviews powers granted to the state agencies of various European countries to request assistance from communications companies in tapping their subscribers in real time, as well as accessing existing data on these subscribers. For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. "Green Alternative" addresses the Parliament of Georgia concerning the draft Law "on Amending the Tax Code of Georgia". "We demand that the parliamentary hearings over the draft Law on amending the Tax Code of Georgia are terminated and that the Parliament does not adopt the draft Law. For the full text Source: greenalt.org