Dear fellow Citizens of Georgia, Congratulations on the positive recommendation issued by the European Commission! It is indeed symbolic that today, on November 8, the birthday of Ilia Chavchavadze, we have gathered at the monument of Akaki [Tsereteli] and Ilia [Chavchavadze] to discuss the path that Ilia has set for our future. Our European friends have always heard the voice of the Georgian people and have consistently recognized our desire and aspiration to become part of the European family. The European Commission has ackowledged our unwavering, collective struggle for a European future and has recommended that Georgia be granted the status of a candidate country for EU membership.  Today, [while announcing the decision] the President of the European Commission stated: "We fully support the European aspiration of Georgia, the European aspiration of the citizens of Georgia, these aspirations should really be taken into account by the authorities. They should start cooperating with the opposition and civil society organizations, and of course, they should focus on the 12 recommendations”.  Our common national objective, which is for Georgia to join the European Union, transcends all political and other differences. This goal unites our entire society, encompassing every citizen of our country. This [unity] is what the European Union anticipates from us. Today, we must unite our voices for our future and reach out to the leaders of the 27 EU member states. The voice of the Georgian people will play a decisive role when the final decision on granting Georgia candidate status is made in December.  We now have a new task ahead of us - from today until the final decision in December - to ensure that the strong will and voice of our Georgian people are once again heard by our dedicated and steadfast European friends, the member states of the European Union. source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi.Economic Policy Research Center and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, with the support of the Lietuvos ambasada Sakartvele/ present the final and 8th episode of our podcast, EUforia, in which Gigi Gigiadze and Zaza Shengelia summarize candidate status matters, discussing the current situation and the prospects in this direction. More... Source: Economic Policy Research Center

CENN with support from the EU hosted a study tour about social service in Czech Republic. Participants included local civil society organisations and local government representatives working in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti. The study visit was carried out within the framework of the project Empowering Civil Society for Inclusive and Green Post-Covid Recovery", which is implemented by CENN together with partner organizations with the financial support of the European Union.  The local partner of the study visit was Caritas of the Czech Republic. More... Source: CENN

Tbilisi.Today, 36 United Nations Associations gathered in Tbilisi for the Opening of the 43rd Plenary Assembly of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), held under the theme "Partnerships for Impact". The Plenary was opened by WFUNA's President, Shawn Chen, who stressed that "It is now more important than ever that we find opportunities to collaborate, both between each other, but also with other civil society organisations, the UN, academic, and the private sector." Within the framework of the assembly, the delegates discussed the challenges of the organisation and discussed the future development plan. WFUNA is a global nonprofit organization that represents and coordinates a membership of over 100 national United Nations Associations (UNAs) and their thousands of constituents.  It's based at the United Nations headquarters in New York and at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. More... Source:  UNA Georgia

Tbilisi.Public Services must be equally accessible for all, including people with disabilities. To champion this cause, employees from nineteen different public agencies recently completed the training programme – “Communication Standards for Persons with Disabilities in Public Service Delivery”. During the training, civil servants who have daily contact with citizens learned about the specifics of disability-sensitive communication and the ethical standards for providing services to them.  Initiative is implemented by the Public Service Development Agency with the support of UNDP Georgia and British Embassy Tbilisi. More... Source: UNDP Georgia

Tbilisi.The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary reacts to the November 1, 2023 decision of the High Council of Justice (HCoJ), by which Bolnisi District Court judge Nino Giorgadze was refused a life tenure appointment. “The decision, Nino Giorgadze’s public statements, and major problems in the justice system raise reasonable doubts about the decision's legality”, said in statement.  More…  Sourse: www.coalition.ge

Tbilisi. Soviet Past Research Laboratory is now on TikTok. Follow for interesting videos: https://www.tiktok.com/@sov.lab Source: Soviet Past Research Laboratory

Imereti. On November 2, 2023, in Kutaisi, IDFI held a lecture for the students of the autumn school within the framework of the project "Youth awareness through engagement", which is implemented by the Center of Regional Initiatives "Bright Future". Within the framework of the lecture, the Soviet occupation and its consequences in the memory of Georgia were discussed. Also, the young people were presented with the memorial album of Akaki Chkhenkeli (1874-1959), an outstanding political figure and diplomat of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia.  more … source: IDFI

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person.  Newsletter...

Tbilisi. Appeal of Georgian non-governmental organizations to the European Commission "Georgia awaits the European Commission’s recommendation on granting it EU membership candidate status. We, the undersigned Georgian NGOs, share a common mission: to safeguard and advocate for the interests of Georgian citizens and to promote and instill European democratic values in Georgia. We all share the unwavering choice and the paramount interest of an overwhelming majority of citizens: for Georgia to join the European Union—a place where each citizen can live a dignified life in a peaceful, prosperous, free, and just country.  For these reasons, we have been persistently urging the government to initiate the process of application for Georgia’s EU mebership. Ever since the possibility of EU member candidacy opened up for Georgia, we have dedicated our efforts to urge the Georgian government to meet the 12 recommendations aimed at improving the lives of Georgia’s citizens. We fully acknowledge the current challenges associated with implementing these recommendations. However, imprtantly, against all odds, the European choice remains a steadfast national aspiration, serving as a unifying force within our broad and proactive civil solidarity.  Our pursuit continues to be a better democracy in Georgia, one that matches the aspirations and demands of Georgian citizens, a democracy built on values and principles that currently unite the 27 EU member states. In March 2023, we successfully rallied Georgian society against the looming threat of the “Russian law,” which could have distanced Georgia from the EU. Through our collective efforts, we managed to overturn this law, showcasing the unwavering commitment of the Georgian people to secure their clear choice of a European future for their country.  As Georgian non-governmental organizations, we firmly believe that obtaining candidate EU member state status is not only a significant step towards realizing the European aspirations of Georgians but also a vital means of diminishing Russia’s influence in Georgia—more EU presence translates to less Russian influence in Georgia.  For all the reasons outlined above, we appeal to our steadfast European friends and allies of Georgia, specifically addressing the European Commission. Despite the ongoing challenges that Georgia must address, as you deliver your fair assessment of progress on the 12 priorities, we strongly urge you to recommend to the European Council that they grant Georgia the status of a candidate EU member country in December 2023". More... Source: osgf.ge

The US Agency for International Development publishes the CSO Sustainability Index every year. Most recently the 2022 index has been released. Picture of sustainable development of CSOs, operating in Georgia, can be seen here...

Tbilisi.Economic Policy Research Center and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, with the support of the Lietuvos ambasada Sakartvele, present the seventh episode of our podcast - EUforia. In this episode, Gigi Gigiadze and Zaza Shengelia are joined by the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Georgia. The discussion focuses on the specifics and history of bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as Lithuania's perspective on Georgia's EU integration process. More... Source: Economic Policy Research Center

Tbilisi.Civitas, with the support of the Europe Foundation, is launching a new project on preschool education. Through FB Live, we will talk with Maya Nasrashvili about various current topics with preschool education experts. The first live talk on preschool education will be broadcast on the Civitas FB page on Saturday, November 4, at 16:00.  More... Source: Civitas

Tbilisi.The 2023 winners of the "Lekso" award will be revealed on November 2, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders will serve as the keynote speaker at this year's "Lekso" award ceremony. Ambassador of Norway to Georgia, H. E. Bergliot Hovland, will give a welcoming remark. More... Source: Human Rights House Tbilisi

Tbilisi. The sanctions imposed by the U.S. on the Georgian judges, Mikheil Chinchaladze, Levan Murusidze, and Irakli Shengelia; a former judge, Valerian Tsertsvadze; and the former Chief Prosecutor, Otar Partskhaladze, have not been followed by effective steps on the part of the Georgian authorities. On the contrary, since the moment of sanctioning, the authorities have been actively defending the interests of those sanctioned, disregarding the legislation and trying to downplay the negative consequences caused by the sanctions by conducting anti-Western propaganda.  the Georgian authorities are apparently protecting the persons sanctioned by the U.S. Naturally, such an approach causes further damage to the country’s reputation and to the trust of international partners towards the Georgian authorities.  More... Source: Open society Georgia Foundation

Tbilisi.Over 600 representatives from diverse sectors across Georgia united at the B2B fair of social enterprises, organized by CSRDG with the support of the EU. he event offered a unique platform for guests to immerse themselves in a vast array of products and services provided by cutting-edge Georgian social enterprises exhibited in one space. Attendees also had the privilege of hearing the remarkable tales of our Impact Heroes – individuals who are making monumental contributions in addressing an array of socio-economic challenges.   More... Source: European Union in Georgia

For all those who are interested in studying abroad, scholarships give you a unique chance to talk face-to-face with representatives of private and state universities abroad and international organizations and embassies of different countries and get comprehensive information on the questions you are interested in.  Educational and consulting organization Edu-Guide.Ge invites you to the "International Education Exhibition Tbilisi 2023", which will be held at the Hotel Courtyard Marriott (Address: Freedom Square #4) More... Source: Edu-Guide.Ge and British Council Georgia

Tbilisi. UNDP announces the release of the "Guidelines on Meaningful Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Decision-Making Processes", developed with support from UNDP Georgia and the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD MPTF) This groundbreaking document highlights international and local standards, practical methods, and considerations tailored to diverse needs and influencing factors.  It serves as an invaluable resource for public agencies, as well as the private, and civic sectors, toward ensuring meaningful participation and engagement of people with disabilities. More... Source: UNDP Georgia

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person.  Newsletter...

On October 15 and 22, in Akhalkalaki and Tbilisi, #IDFI held information meetings within the framework of the project funded by the NATO Public Diplomacy Programs/Division - "Overcoming barriers to fight misinformation among ethnic minorities". The project aims to eliminate the lack of knowledge about NATO in the communities of ethnic minorities living in rural areas of Georgia;  combating the feeling of abandonment by the society and getting to know the security guarantees that Georgia will receive in case of NATO membership;  as well as promoting the resilience of ethnic minority communities against disinformation, raising awareness about NATO and its mission in Georgia. More... Source: Institute for Development of Freedom of Information

Agriculture is among the economic sectors that are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Together with Georgia’s Rural Development Agency, we are working to equip local farmers with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to improve the quality and quantity of agricultural products affected by climate.During a recent meeting in October, representatives from the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, RDA, National Environmental Agency, Scientific-Research Centre of Agriculture, and UNDP's international experts unveiled and discussed this groundbreaking endeavour. More... Source: UNDP Georgia

Georgian Arts Culture Center ხელოვნების საერთაშორისო ცენტრი ’s call for artists to participate in a traveling exhibition. More info: https://bit.ly/3Qj3gXz Call on artists interested in exploring the deep entanglement between new technologies and democracy to apply for one of 12 residencies. More info:  https://bit.ly/46K82mE   Institute of Documentary Film announces call for applications for documentary film directors and producers to participate in the East Doc Platform 2024. More info: https://bit.ly/ApplyForEDP2024   More... Source: EU