Adjara. On November 19, the East-West Management Institute has informed the students of the Batumi State University about the "Paid Internship” program. Attending audience was informed in detail about the requirements and conditions for participating in the program. Master’s and PhD students who currently study in the higher education institutions or who have just recently graduated, as well as the students with Bachelor’s Degree who intend to continue with Master’s studies are eligible.

Imereti. "Transparency International – Georgia” has organized a discussion on November 20 in Kutaisi on the "Freedom of Information in Georgia”. Students and various CSOs have attended the meeting. Discussion participants mentioned that pursuant to the amendments made to the General Administrative Code since 1 September 2013, all public institutions are obligated to proactively publish the public information, meaning that various decrees, orders, and a full list of civil servants must be available for any interested person through a web page.

Adjara. New road safety project – "Friendly Ways” – was presented in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on November 19. The project aims to increase road safety, control street lights and road signs and enhance citizen participation. Any person will be able to upload a photo or video material of a problematic location or road accident on an electronic map available on the organization’s site. A black spot appears on the map after reporting an accident in a given district on one occasion, while if repeated, the problem activates and the spot becomes red. Based on the 6-month data, the organization will start working with the municipalities on solution of the problems. Youngsters and CSO sector representatives have attended the project presentation.

Imereti. The "Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims” has carried out a study in the Kutaisi Penitentiary Institution №2. According to the document, there are significant problems in the penitentiary institution in terms of access to medication and medical services. The Center has presented the study results on November 20. "By this study we have established that work has to be carried out in the following areas: establishment of system for inmates with mental problems, creation of an early monitoring and intervention mechanism, as well as producing a special manual on the code of conduct of doctors,” said the Head of the Kutaisi Office of the "Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims Ana Chapidze. The organization’s representatives have already informed the Ministry of Corrections about the full results of the study.

Tbilisi. On November 20, Universal Children's Day Transparency International Georgia released a statement. Organization published photos taken in Khelvachauri district near Batumi city where on the territory of the former Russian military base many socially vulnerable families have been living for about a year now. "The adults who live here along their children have to endure very difficult living conditions. There is no kindergarten in the area which leaves the children without any preschool education. Nearly ten children with disabilities live on the territory of the former military base, some of who, due to lack of accessible infrastructure, do not come outside at all.  We urge the local government to take urgent actions in order to improve living conditions of these families", says the statement. For full text Source:the organization's page in the social network  

Tbilisi. CSO "Identity” has organized a charity evening in the Writers’ House. Donations raised from the event with participation of young poets and musicians will be spent on the construction of a shelter. Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Shida Kartli. The Gori Youth Center functioning with the "Gori Club of the Disabled” has celebrated the World Day for Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children on November 19. Youngsters have shown a 7-minute film "This is How the Children Think” in the kindergarten. After the film, youngsters have asked children about their understanding of violence against children, following which they have depicted their comprehension and expressed their own opinions on the paper. The activity was planned as part of the "Advancing National Integration in Georgia” project, implemented by the UN Association of Georgia, with support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center released a statement. "Organization calls on the Government of Georgia, Parliamentary majority, who are responsible for the ongoing process, to take effective measures for the confidence building and peacebuilding activities. Conflicts inspired by Russia for the past twenty years shall be seriously reconsidered.  We believe that Russian occupation is double disaster for Abkhazians and Ossetians living in the occupied regions – for everybody who lives there without any support from the Georgian state. Fences, truncheons and walls, which separate the nations, will not be dismantled unilaterally. It is urgently necessary to neutralize dark past and cruelty with forgiveness and reconciliation", says the statement. For full text  Source:humanrights.ge

Imereti. The Children and Youth Development Fund and the Kutaisi "Art Center” have organized a cultural event "Extraordinary Day” on November 18 in Kutaisi. As part of the event, the paintings, illustrations and sculptures of patients of the "Khoni Mental Health National Center” and young artists from Imereti were exhibited, while young actors have read on the small stage the poems and prosaic works of patients of the National Center of Mental Health. Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations released a statement on the Initiated Amendments to the Law on Cultural Heritage. "The undersigned organizations disapprove of the draft submitted by the government of Georgia to the legislative branch. We call on the Parliament to refrain from adopting the initiative amending the Law of Georgia on Cultural Heritage and allowing cancellation of the status to the monument in exceptional conditions and in state necessities .  The initiated amendment does not specify what is implied under exceptional condition  or state necessity . They contain high risk of bias in decision making process and might have negative effect on protection of cultural heritage", says the statement. The statement is open for signature for civil society organizations, as well as private individuals. Statement

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released another edition of audio podcast of parliamentary news. Topics of the November 19 edition are: number of new constitutional amendments have entered into effect following the inauguration of incumbent President Giorgi Margvelashvili on November 17. Who should nominate the new Prime Minister, what are the approval procedures and what are the terms in which the Government should be grouped. Audio Podcast of Parliamentary News - 19 November Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. SIQA has organized a conference on November 18 on the impact of small grants programs on the growth of entrepreneurial competences among the youth. At the event the organization has presented the study carried out in May-June 2013, aimed at determining the degree of change of key competences, in particular the competences of initiatives and entrepreneurship among the youth (over 18 years of age) after the participation in the governing group of the small grants projects. The study

Tbilisi. CSO "First Step Georgia" will organize an annual welfare concert on December 18. BekaGochiashvili, Georgian jazz musician will perform at the event. In addition, the auction will be held and the lottery tickets will be sold. Raised amount will be entirely spent on the children with disabilities and their families involved in the programs of the "First Step Georgia". Full information on the event Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On November 18-19, 2013 GYLA and the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development arranged a training for the representatives of the small and medium business sector.    The training was held in the framework of the EU funded project "Promoting Well-Managed Migration between EU and Georgia”. One of the project directions migration and development implies increase of the role of Georgian Diaspora in state development process and establishment of suitable conditions for sharing their knowledge-experience.  Erekle Inashvili, who received education in Germany and has relevant experience facilitated the training. Training participants were selected on the basis of the competition from different regions of Georgia. The training focused on the following issues: the essence of the branding and its mission, the unique differentiating factor, corporate design, approaches of the popular Georgian and European brands. Source:gyla.ge

Shida Kartli. Gender Equality Network has organized a discussion on November 19 – "Gender Equality in the Political Processes". The meeting aimed to inform the society about the women's political rights at the decision-making level and to identify active leader women for the local self-government elections. Among the meeting participants were the ShidaKartli Regional Coordinator and regional co-coordinators of the Gender Equality Network, leader women wishing to participate in the political processes for the 2014 local self-government elections, and representatives of local CSO and international organizations working on the gender topic, the authorities, political parties, various social groups (healthcare, teachers), ethnic minorities living in the region and mass media. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Kakheti. On November 17, 2013 Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development held meeting with local NGOs and population in GYLA’s Telavi Office. The event held within the scope of the project "Promoting Well-Managed Migration between EU and Georgia" was aimed at increasing public awareness on migration issues.  The EU funded project has been implemented by GYLA and the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development. The project focuses on four key objectives: to  foster the links between migration and development, to contribute to development of labor migration policy and legislation;  to fight illegal migration and support the fight against trafficking in human beings and to protect migrants’/returnees’ rights. 

Imereti. Members of the Human Rights Club of the Kutaisi Youth Center have delivered a training on November 18 for the schoolchildren of the village Gelati public school of the Tkibuli District. 21 pupils have attended the training – "Tolerance and Diversity".The event aimed at informing the youth about tolerance and human rights. The following issues were discussed during the session: tolerance and diversity, respecting the different, tolerance as moral obligation and legal responsibility. Further, emphasis was made on racial, ethnic, cultural and religious differences, importance of human rights protection. Group and model case studies were used during the training-seminar. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. A preparatory hearing on the claim of Editor of Media.Ge Maia Tsiklauri was held on November 18 in the Tbilisi City Hall. Maia Tsiklauri has addressed the Tbilisi City Court on June 11 this year. Editor of the web page requested the court to instruct the Tbilisi City Hall to issue public information and examine an administrative complaint on issuing the information.On November 18, the Court has heard legal representatives of the Tbilisi City Hall and Editor of Media.Ge. Head of the "Media Legal Protection Center" of the "Georgian Young Lawyers' Association" EkaTsimakuridze was defending Tsiklauri's rights.Next court hearing in the Tbilisi City Court is scheduled on December 9.For the full text. Source: media.ge

Kvemo Kartli. With facilitation of SIQA, the Rustavi-based civic club members have celebrated the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 17. Civic club members of the public schools have presented the presentations they had prepared, following which they have organized a street march with information posters. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Identity" has hosted the law faculty students of the Georgian universities and delivered a training on legal aspects of the LGBT issues. The organization's lawyer has reviewed the current legal situation in Georgia in terms of facts of inhuman and degrading treatment and infringement upon the human rights of LGBT community representatives. The training aimed to raise LGBT awareness among the young lawyers. Source: identoba.com

Guria. At the initiative of the Youth Center functioning with the "Young Teachers' Union", a community initiative was organized on November 15 in the public school of borough Nasakirali. The exhibition and sale of cuisine of ethnic and religious minorities living in the community was organized as part of the event dedicated to the Day for Tolerance. Generated money will be spent on specific needs of the Nasakirali Public School. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Imereti. The Kutaisi Youth Center has celebrated the International Day for Tolerance on November 16 with an information campaign. Main slogan of the event participants was "Let's Be Tolerant!". Youngsters have prepared information posters and organized a march in the city's central streets. The campaign aimed at informing the population on the International Day for Tolerance. Source: the organization's page in the social network.