Mtskheta-Mtianeti. The second group of the "Civic Education Summer Camp – 2012” was launched in Bazaleti on July 20. The camp is organized within the framework of the "Civic Education and Teachers’ Training Program”, which is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), while the program in Georgia is implemented by PH-International. The Georgian Association of Educational Initiatives is the organizer of the camp, which at the same time is the partner organization of the program in the Kvemo Kartli Region. Students and teachers from 11 regions of Georgia participate in the "Civic Education Summer Camp – 2012”. The camp consists of three groups and total of 270 participants will be involved – active members of the school civic clubs, who initiate and implement various civil activities during the year. Throughout the camp the participants are trained in respect of planning and implementation of civil activities and drafting of projects that they will implement in their civic clubs over the education year. Each day of the camp is full of interactive camping activities, which fosters approximation of students from various regions. It is the second consecutive year that the Association organizes the "Civic Education Summer Camp”. Last year 150 participants from 9 regions of Georgia have attended the camp. The European youth leaders work together with the Georgian leaders in the camp, who are hosted by the Association within the framework of the EC program "Youth in Action”.

Adjara. On July 19, the consultation body functioning with the Sakrebulo of the self-governing city Batumi – the "Civil Advisers’ Committee” has presented its annual activity report and the future plans. The meeting consisted of three parts: presentation of the annual report of the "Civil Advisers’ Committee”, the analysis of the Committee’s activities and project for improvement by the invited expert, and finally the discussion and summary of the meeting.

Tbilisi. The organization "Identoba” (Identity) has filed a claim in the Constitutional Court. Five persons are the claimants, while the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare of Georgia is the respondent. Link Source: idenotba.ge

Imereti. Kutaisi. Members of the scientific-intellect club "Generations’ Dialogue” have participated in the youth exchange program in Ankara (Turkey), which took place on 13-19 July. The program aimed at teaching the new methods to the participants through the application of informal education methods. Participants from Georgia, Bulgaria, Portugal, Austria, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Moldova, Lithuania, and Russia were involved in the exchange program.

Tbilisi. "Electorally Motivated Public Spending” – is the title of the new report released by "Transparency International – Georgia”, as part of the project "Transparent and Accountable Political Finance in Georgia”. The report focuses on the electorally motivated spending by the central authorities and it does not contain the analysis of economic expediency of examined issues. "The tendencies of spending public funds are different in the election years – the budget is much more oriented on the implementation of social, short-term employment and other type of populist projects. 2012 is not an exception in this respect either”, states the report. Report – "Electorally Motivated Public Spending” Source: transparency.ge

Mtskheta-Mtianeti. With the support of the Agricultural University of Georgia and the Free University, the Club of Liberty has organized the summer camp on the Bazaleti Lake on the topic "Freedom and Property in the Modern World”. 50 students have participated in the camp. For 4 days they have been attending and participating in the debates organized by the Club of Liberty, as well as attending the lectures of Georgian lecturers on various topics. At the end of the camp they were awarded with certificates. The "Club of Liberty” was founded in 2010 by the senior students of the ESM business school of the Free University. The organization aims to get the society familiar with the conservative and libertarian ideas. The Club has already organized over 10 public lectures delivered by the Georgian and foreign lecturers. In addition, the Club regularly organizes camps in Bazaleti in the Georgian and English languages, in which any person may participate.

Tbilisi. The project "Youth Express” aims to better cover and put on the agenda the problems and challenges of the Georgian youth. The project is being implemented by the organizations „IMNS for Human Rights" and the Institute for Democratic Changes. The project "Youth Express” is funded by the Swedish Fund "Swedish Institute”, which was launched in 2011 and this year the second stage of this project will take place. The portal youthexpress.ge was set up within the project framework. Since September 2012 the new participants of the Youth Express (youthexpress.ge) will learn video documenting, PR aspects, and the use of social networks in this area. Filmed materials will be published on the web portal, as well as the video films will be discussed and aired on television. The first training will be held on 14-16 September. For detailed information see – http://youthexpress.ge/?p=1939

Kakheti. The bicycle race took place in Gurjaani. The event was held by the initiative group "Let’s Do Good Together”. It aimed to popularize the healthy lifestyle among the youth. The participants took off in the beginning of the Vazha-Pshavela Street and crossed the finishing line at the entrance of the Gurjaani forest park. Member of the Civic Education Club of the Gurjaani 1st Public School Levan Kandiashvili came up with the initiative to hold the event. Levan Kandiashvili, member of the Civic Education Club: "All participants of the race were awarded with memorable certificates, while the winner received a symbolic prize that was purchased by the Youth Development and Employment Center”.

Tbilisi. On July 19 the presentation of the web-portal www.electionsportal.ge was held in the "Tbilisi Marriott” Hotel. The portal is a joint product of the three civil society organizations – "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)”, "Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association”, and "Transparency International – Georgia”, and its key objective is to disseminate the information on the 2012 parliamentary elections – to register and upload on the site the alleged violations as reported by the civil society organizations and citizens during the pre-election period, on the polling day, and post-elections. The "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” administers the web-portal, while the project is funded by USAID. The portal is funded by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), as well as by the East-West Management Institute (EWMI). The "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation provided the initial support of the portal.

Tbilisi. "Find it! Film it! File it!” – is the slogan that the "Media House Georgia” launches a new project that envisages the photo and video contest for the citizen journalists. Telavi is selected as the pilot region of the project. Anyone over the age of 15 can participate in the contest. "The Place Where I Live” is the key topic of the contest. Winners in each category (photo and video materials) will receive PC Tablets, while all entrants will receive the certificates of participation. For additional information please see following link

Tbilisi. The Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation was executed on July 18 between the Georgian Association of Social Workers and the Public Defender of Georgia. The cooperation aims to support the development of the social work profession for protecting the human rights and freedoms. To this end, the parties will jointly plan certain activities, as well as the inter-sector seminars, trainings, and other activities will be carried out within the framework of the Memorandum, thus popularizing the social work as the human rights profession. In addition, the Association of Social Workers ensures the delivery of methodological consultations throughout the process of monitoring over the protection of human rights and freedoms.

Tbilisi. The civil society organization "Article 42 of the Constitution” launches the campaign for raising awareness on women. Awareness-raising campaigns on women’s rights will be conducted in 14 cities of Georgia. Within the framework of the campaign the trainers of the organization will deliver free of charge trainings and legal consultations to the interested women. "Women residing in the regions of Georgia, who are actively involved in the public life and can contribute to the process of realization of women’s rights in their regions, represent the target group of the project”, – says the organization’s official web page. Various events are implemented within the framework of the "Strengthening the Women for Social Development” project, which are funded by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).

Kakheti. The Gurjaani Municipality Sakrebulo has hosted the meeting organized by the Democracy Development Center. Representatives of the Center have informed the attendees and journalists about the working principles of democracy schools and offered them to participate in the project. According to the organization’s Kakheti regional coordinator Nikoloz Sharvashidze, the functioning of a democracy school is important as all interested persons learn the principles of democracy there. "All participants of the democracy school learn many interesting and useful information here. The students get familiar with the key principles of democracy and all theoretical issues that are needed in everyday activities. The democracy schools and centers operate in 4 cities of Georgia – Telavi, Kutaisi, Gori, and Tbilisi. Today’s meeting aimed at the very popularization of the Telavi School of Democracy and inclusion of all persons from various municipalities”, says Nikoloz Sharvashidze. The Democracy Center was established in 2000 with the funding of the Dutch political parties. The South African President Nelson Mandela authored the idea, who at the time actively fought racism. The Center functions in Georgia since 2005 and cooperates with 7 political parties. Any citizen and politician can study in the Democracy School.

Tbilisi. The Civil Society Institute has lobbied the amendment to the Tax Code. To improve the mechanisms of taxation of not-for-profit organizations, the Institute has provided the Ministry of Finances of Georgia with several draft bills on amendments and supplements to the Tax Code. One of them concerned the problem related to the taxation of property of small value (books, seminar materials, etc.) given gratuitously to physical persons by the civil society organizations at the organized events (conferences, seminars, etc.), and withholding the income tax in accordance with their value. The Ministry of Finances of Georgia has offered the compromising version of problem solution in respect of this issue. This offer was formulated as a draft law and in May 2012 the Parliament of Georgia has debated it and finally amended Sub-Paragraph ‘l’ of Paragraph 1 of Article 154 of the Tax Code. Pursuant to the amendment, a tax agent (including a not-for-profit legal entity) shall be obligated to withhold an income tax only when it gratuitously transfers property to a physical person who does not have a tax-payer’s certificate, if the market value of the property exceeds 1,000 GEL.

Tbilisi. Member organizations of a civil campaign "This Affects You Too” respond to the initiative on developing the rules of conduct of political parties and believe that it is crucial to achieve certain agreement among the political parties in order to carry out the fair and peaceful election process. For full text – http://esshengexeba.ge/?menuid=9&id=853&lang=1

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On July 14, the Head of the Tolerance Center functioning with the Public Defender’s Office Beka Mindiashvili has presented the web page – tolerantoba.ge – in Akhaltsikhe. The event was held in the conference hall of the organization "Union of Democrat Meskhetians” and it hosted the Akhaltsikhe-based youth and representatives of local CSOs, press and television. The web page aims to provide the informative, educational and legal support to the culture of tolerance in Georgia. The site, which was developed with the support of the UN Development Program, includes the information on the religious and ethnic minorities, as well as the racial issues and the photo, audio, video, and textual materials depicting the life of the minorities. In the end, the Head of the Tolerance Center met with the members of the youth organization of the Union of Democrat Meskhetians.

Kakheti. The project "Georgia in Europe” is being implemented in Georgia for over a year now, which aims at informing the public about the EU, its domestic and foreign policies, as well as the Georgian-EU relations and joint projects that promote institutional strengthening of Georgia and introduction of the European standards in various areas. NGO "New Generation New Initiative” is involved in the project. "Within the project framework, this week we started holding the meetings in the Kakheti Region and met with the Kvareli, Gurjaani and Telavi residents. We met with different groups of the society, provided to them information materials on the EU, its structures and pending reforms in Georgia, which are underway within the scope of "Eastern Partnership” – said the Executive Director of "New Generation New Initiative” Ketevan Chachava.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. With the support of international organizations (USAID, UNAG, ANI, ECMI, UNDP), the Akhalkalaki Office of the Public Defender of Georgia hosted a round table on the topic: "System of provision of information on ongoing developments in the country to national minorities living in Samtskhe-Javakheti and the coverage of national minority issues in the Georgian media”. The representatives of central and regional media and non-governmental and human rights organizations have participated in the meeting-discussion. At the end of a round table the recommendations on improvement of the process of informing national minorities were developed. The necessity of cooperation between the central and local media was particularly emphasized.

Kakheti. The Community Development center has started implementing in Kakheti the new project "Business for a Start" in partnership with the Polish NGO B4. On July 16, representatives of the Community Development Center held the workshop with target groups in Gurjaani in the office of "Media Center Kakheti". The project aims to support the women in self-employment and starting up the small businesses. 60 women will be selected and trained within the project framework - to start up and run the small businesses. Based on a competition, 20 participants will receive small grants for launching their own businesses. Consultants involved in the project will assist them in developing the business-projects. Second stage of the project "Business for a Start" includes training seminars, following which the participants have to submit a business plan.

Guria. The Civic Development Institute, which implements the project "Citizen Journalists for Free and Fair Elections" in 11 municipalities of Georgia (including Ozurgeti), held meetings on July 12 and 13 with the representatives of Ozurgeti's public. The project is funded by the UN Development Program.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Repatriated Meskhetian children residing in Georgia participate in the "Brave Kids" festival. Zapar Tsatsanidze, Temur Bekadze, Saba Kamalov, Abas Mekhriev and Aida Lazishvili are the members of the "Pesvebi" (Roots) ensemble functioning with the Samtskhe-Javakheti regional association "Tolerant". Association "Tolerant" has sent the children to the festival on June 20. For three weeks already the members of the "Pesvebi" ensemble give concerts in several European cities. Up to 100 children from other 14 countries also participate in the festival. At the festival they perform their national dances and songs. The festival "Brave Kids" is held for the third consecutive year under the patronage of UNESCO and the Polish Ministry of Culture. The Chinese, Ugandan, Polish, Georgian, Jewish, Romanian, Tanzanian, Norwegian, Bulgarian, Kyrgyz, Czech, Zimbabwean, and Greek children participated in joint workshops, where they taught each other their national dances and songs. "I'm a bit nervous, performing in UNESCO in front of such a big audience is a huge responsibility. However, I think we'll do everything well and win the audience's heart here as well", - says Temur Bekadze, Georgian participant of the festival. Closing evening of the festival will be held on July 10 in Paris, in the UNESCO building. At this moment the final concert is being rehearsed in the hall.

Tbilisi. A part of the Georgian civil society organizations and experts published the declaration on the issues of management and regulation of hazardous chemical substances. Signatory organizations are concerned about the facts of importing through official channels the hazardous chemical substances and substances prohibited under international conventions, as well as about saturation of the Georgian market with hazardous chemical substances (pesticides) of suspicious origin. The Declaration also states that there are no legislative norms for the regulation and monitoring of hazardous chemical substances used in various types of materials, as well as the systems of institutional and staff development. "We urge the Government and Parliament of Georgia, to categorically ban the import and re-export of chemical substances and wastes prohibited under various conventions, and to impose strict regulations on the import and use of other substances potentially containing this threat" - says the Declaration. The Declaration is signed by 9 civil society organizations, including: Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth Georgia, Rural Community Development Agency, Association of Ecological Farmers of Georgia "Sema", Green Way, Environmental Protection League, "Caucasus Ecology" Fund, Akhaltsikhe Public Development Center, International Development Agency of Georgia, and Intellect - in Country's Service. Deadline for signing is July 20, following which the text of the Declaration will be sent to a respective agency. Declaration Source:  CENN