Adjara. The organization "Caucasus" and the "Literature Club" of the Batumi Public School #10 have organized the "literature marathon" on December 18 in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center, with participation of schoolchildren from various Batumi-based schools. The "Literature Club" of the LEPL Batumi Public School #10 has received funding twice from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of Adjara for the targeted program promoting the school-based clubs. As part of this grant, the Club organizes literature contests, marathons and discussions of the works of Georgian and foreign writers. Members of the winner team of the "literature marathon" were awarded with books and diplomas.

Kakheti. The Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation was executed between the NGO "Media Center Kakheti" and the Pluzhnitsa NGO network. According to the Projects Manager of "Media Center Kakheti" Natalia Tsiskarishvili, the Memorandum is important in that the Georgian NGO sector will share the experience of Poland: "It's important that the Memorandum of Cooperation was executed between the Pluzhnitsa NGO network and our organization, which provides for sharing the experience of both countries. We have future plans that we'll implement. The traineeship of the NGO sector representatives in Poland is being planned."

Tbilisi. Since 18 December 2012, KakhaKozhoridze will head the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association. Pursuant to the GYLA's charter, a new chair is elected at the very first Board meeting. The same person can act as a Chair for only three times in a row. Tamar Chugoshvili, who chaired the organization in 2010-2012, was already elected as GYLA's Chair twice. Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The working group consisting of NGO and state representatives and independent experts has presented the recommendations for improving the penitentiary legislation. The meeting has particularly focused on increasing the inmates' access to healthcare, introducing longer visits, and improving the mechanisms of legal services and identification of inhumane treatment. Article 42 of the Constitution has formed the working group in September, after the prison scandal. The working group includes Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, international organization "Penal Reform International", Human Rights Protection Center, EC Delegation and the Ministry of Corrections and Probation of Georgia. EWMI G-PAC has funded this project of Article 42 of the Constitution as part of the Open Grant Project. For the full text Source: ewmi-gpac.org

Tbilisi. The Presidential Ordinance of December 17 has set up the "Project Promoting the Development of Civil Society and Free Media". Pursuant to the President's Ordinance, within the project framework not-for-profit (non-commercial_ legal entities will be selected through a contest. The contest commission will submit to the President of Georgia the selected not-for-profit (non-commercial) legal entity, which, in case of the President's respective decision, will receive through lawful procedures 1,000,000 (million) GEL for issuing contest-based grants to media outlets and/or other relevant organizations. The amount will be allocated from the President's Reserve Fund. The adviser of the President of Georgia, Nino Kalandadze will chair the contest commission. Members of the commission are the President's advisers Vera Kobalia, Van Baiburt, Mubaris Karaev and Natalia Kancheli. The contest commission must organize the announcement of the contest and determine the contest terms and time-line, as well as the documents required for participating in the contest. Source: media.ge

Adjara. On December 17, the association "Independent Journalists' House" has organized a discussion in the Batumi Press-Cafe on the "Visions of the new government on peaceful regulation of conflicts". The Minister for Reintegration of Georgia, Paata Zakareishvili has delivered a speech, after which the questions-and-answers have followed. In addition to the present audience, online users could also participate in the discussion through Skype. Representatives of the Abkhazian Diaspora and IDPs, and members of various political parties, NGO, state and social groups have participated in the event. The discussions are organized as part of the NED-funded project "Development of Democratic Ideas".

Samtskhe-Javakheti.On December 14, as part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program, the Akhaltsikhe Youth Center has arranged the visit of the Head of the Gori Office of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, Ketevan Bebiashvili to the Aspindza Public School. The civic club members of partner schools of the Aspindze Municipality, their parents and teachers have attended the meeting. "Domestic Violence" was the topic of the meeting, and the discussion concerned as the facts and types of violence, as well as human rights. Ketevan Bebiashvili talked about civil duties and citizens' self-awareness, which the society lacks, when the facts of violence are reported from all around. The civic club members have recalled the facts of violence within their own communities, as well as asked questions and received exhaustive answers on human rights and actions to be undertaken - including who to address - in case of concrete facts of violence.

Imereti. The Research-Intellectual Club "Dialogue of Generations" launches the selection of volunteers for the volunteers' club. The project aims at introducing and promoting volunteerism in Kutaisi. Members of the "Volunteers' Club" will get involved in the organization's activities such as PR, scientific sector, fund-raising, etc. Successful volunteers will participate in exchange programs, various projects of the organization, while after undertaking the full course they will be awarded certificates. Interested persons should send their CVs and motivation letters at the following address - ricdog@live.com. Deadline for submitting the documents is December 30. For the full text. Source:ricdog.org

Adjara. CSO "Borjghali" has organized a press conference on December 17 in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on the "Eco-Migration Policy in Georgia". The press conference aimed at overviewing the organization's activities in the field of eco-migration, summarizing the annual results and informing the public about measures to be undertaken in this field. For three years the organization "Borjghali" actively advocates the rights of involuntarily displaced persons - eco-migrants and submits developed recommendations to the relevant agencies, and organizes informative meetings, conferences and discussions on the topic of eco-migration. The organization implements these activities with the financial support of the East-West Management Institute, as part of the ongoing project "Advocating the Interests of Eco-Migrants", which aims to protect the interests of eco-migrants in Georgia and improve their socio-legal conditions.

On December the 15th and 16th a training on the topic of „job searching skills and self-presentation” was delivered to the vocational training graduates of III cycle of IDP Vocational Training and Service Centre at CHCA Zugdidi office. During the training the participants were introduced with the issues such as: job searching techniques, writing resumes and motivation letters, interviewing, self-presentation, SWOT analyses and etc. for full text

Shida Kartli. On December 13, the representatives of the union of young intellectuals of Georgia "Lazare" and the Liberty Club have visited the society "Biliki" (path), who have met with the civic club members and leaders from Gori and the Gori Districts. Up to 40 children have attended the meeting with diverse topics on the agenda. The guests have discussed the functions of humans, fulfillment of which sometimes is neither mandatory nor pleasant. As a most important outcome of this meeting for the children, they had to mull over their future plans. In the participants' opinion, the meeting was productive and they agreed to continue meeting in the future as well.

Tbilisi. On December 14, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released information on the main areas of spending from the reserve funds of the President of Georgia in 2010-2012. The information posted on GYLA's web page states: "In light of the high public interest towards the topic, GYLA releases the information on the main areas of spending of funds allocated from the reserve funds of the President of Georgia under the 2010-2012 state budgets of Georgia. At that, available information covers the full period for 2010-2011, and the period for January-September for 2012." Main areas of spending of funds from the reserve funds of the President of Georgia, 2010–1012 Source: gyla.ge

Kakheti. The organization "Anti-Violence Network of Georgia" delivers public discussions on protection from violence. "Assisting Children Victims of Violence" is being implemented in all eight districts of Kakheti.According to the Chair of the Kakheti Regional Committee of "Anti-Violence Network of Georgia" Jilda Kharitonashvili, the organization aims at saving and protecting women from violence."The organizations main activities focus on the psycho-medical and legal consultations in the Kakheti Region. We deliver trainings and organize discussions in various municipalities for the interested persons and youngsters concerning the violence and the ways to avoid it."According to the psychologist of the "Anti-Violence Network of Georgia" Manana Sologhashvili, as part of the project public discussions were held in various municipalities of the Kakheti Region, addressing mainly the adolescents, parents and teachers:"Within the project framework we delivered public discussions with the schoolchildren. Main focus is on the social agencies and their representatives. When a child becomes a victim of violence, we must all assist him/her. Public awareness must raise in this respect, as to how should we help the children victims of violence." y'>As part of the project, the schoolchildren undertake theoretic course in the elements of journalism, including practical exercises at all phases of editorial activities. They are able to prepare newspaper articles and hold discussions on various issues. Most importantly, best graduate students and schoolchildren of the project will be actively involved in the newspaper's activities and the work process." The course is taught in Telavi's "Media Cafe".

Samtskhe-Javakheti. As part of the project "Georgia in Europe" of the organization "New Generation – New Initiative", the exhibition depicting the Georgian-European relations was organized on December 16 in the Akhaltsikhe Central Library, and the EU corner was opened up. The exhibition hosts the materials preserved in the funds of the National Library, National Archive and the National Manuscript Center, which display the Georgian-European relations. Speeches were delivered on the same topic. Similar exhibition was already organized as part of the project "European Book – Georgia" in Batumi, Poti, Zugdidi and Kutaisi. This is the last exhibition of the project. "The project consisted of several phases, which aimed to raise public awareness on the EU and its structures", – said the Head of the Press Office of "New Generation – New Initiative", Tamar Idadze.

Adjara. The lawyers' union "Themis" has organized another discussion - this time on proselytism - on December 16 in the conference hall of the CSO "Borjghali". Discussion participants have examined the positive and negative aspects of proselytism, and talked about the fair and unfair ways of spreading it. Majority of attendees were lawyers, and therefore the topic was discussed from legal rather than religious standpoint. One of the objectives of the meeting was to prepare a draft law, which would legally regulate the preaching/spreading of various religions.

Kakheti. NGO "Media Center Kakheti" launched the implementation of the second stage of the project "First Step in Journalism".The program aims to improve media literacy among the youth. It provides a full course on media literacy for the youngsters interested in journalism.According to the project coordinator Maia Mamulashvili, the course enables the youngsters to receive factual knowledge in journalism and get familiar with the role and importance of media-technologies:"The project includes 2 stages. At the first stage a target group was selected from the Telavi public schools and the Telavi State University, while at the second stage the schoolchildren will be selected from the public schools of the remaining 7 municipalities of the Kakheti Region.As part of the project, the schoolchildren undertake theoretic course in the elements of journalism, including practical exercises at all phases of editorial activities. They are able to prepare newspaper articles and hold discussions on various issues. Most importantly, best graduate students and schoolchildren of the project will be actively involved in the newspaper's activities and the work process."The course is taught in Telavi's "Media Cafe".

Adjara. On December 14, in relation to completion of the anti-corruption week, Transparency International - Georgia held a meeting in the Batumi Press-Cafe, which sort of summarized the entire week event. Meeting participants have noted that since 2004 Georgia has achieved significant success in terms of combating various forms of corruption. Yet, there is still a danger in the country that high officials abuse their power and thus the corruption is strengthened anew. Representatives of Transparency International - Georgia believe that introducing the mechanism of mutual control in the governing system, enhancing public agencies and ensuring the political neutrality of the prosecutor's office is important for setting up the anti-corruption system. The students and local media and CSO representatives have attended the summarizing meeting.

Adjara. On December 14, the Civil Society Institute has organized a public meeting in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on the "Policy of monument protection of cultural heritage in Batumi". The architects, invited experts, and representatives of local state and NGO sector have discussed the Adjarian policy of monument protection of cultural heritage at the examples of the "Dolls' Theatre", the post and the former building of newspaper "Adjara".Majority of discussion participants prefers to preserve the original appearance of the listed buildings, and therefore they find it necessary to urgently launch negotiations with the investors.

Samtskhe-Javakheti.CSO "Union of Democrat Meskhetians" has announced the video contest in the "Society and Me", as part of the project "Trust Building in the South Caucasus".Youngsters of 15-25 years of age can participate in the contest. Duration of the video must be 2-5 minutes. Recording can be done with an amateur camera or a mobile phone, and the content and not the quality of the video will be important. The work must not be discriminatory or insulting towards any of the society groups. Youngsters must submit their works to the office of the "Union of Democrat Meskhetians" in an electronic form.Deadline for submitting videos is 20 December 2012.

Kakheti. CSO Bemoni carries out the study together with  UNICEF (UN children Fund) aimed at examining the practice of HIV testing among the adolescents and youngsters. As part of the study, the opinions, views and experience of the youth will be studied in relation to the HIV testing. The questionnaire is anonymous. Interested persons can participate in the study from their PCs. There are no risks associated with participation. Users can stop filling in the questionnaire any time. Davit Ghonghadze, the Head of the Telavi Office of "Bemoni": "Obtained answers will assist us in better understanding of problems related to HIV testing of adolescents and youngsters, as well as developing recommendations focused on improvement of HIV testing services for the adolescents and youngsters."

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) publishes new report, which analyses open governance process in Georgia. What should the government do to give citizens more information about its activities? What data can be found on government web sites? Where can citizens find information about the assets of Ministers and other public officials but also about the owners of big corporations? - study shows that most of the people in Georgia have no answers to these questions. Neither do they have much knowledge, proficiency or interest in Open Government Partnership (OGP) which makes it a luxury policy of an exclusive club of organizations only. TI Georgia also provides a list of recommendations for the government to better implement open governance standards in practice.  The OGP is a global initiative, launched in September 2011, under which the governments are committing to give citizens more information about their activities, increase civic participation in decision-making, implement high professional and ethical standards in public service, and harness new technologies to spur innovation. Georgia was among the first group of countries to join the OGP. In April 2012, the country’s government presented a relevant Action Plan. For full text source: transparency.ge

Adjara. Heinrich Boll Stiftung has organized a public discussion on December 14 in the Batumi Press-Cafe on - "Capacity for Inclusiveness of the Georgian Society: Cultural and Legal Aspects of Acceptance of Diversity". The speakers have discussed the current state in Georgia in terms of protecting the rights of sexual, ethnic and religious minorities, and the attitude of general public towards them from the cultural and legal perspective of this segment of the society. The discussion has emphasized key problems that most often spark confrontation between them. The meeting evolved in a question-and-answer mode, with the students and representatives of media and the state and NGO sectors expressing their opinions.