Tbilisi. Tbilisi hosts large-scale conference on strategic communications and counter disinformation. The event is part of the Strategic Communications Week, that aims at raising awareness of public, sharing experiences of EU and the Eastern Partnership countries and promoting public diplomacy.  The purpose of the conference is to analyze the dangers of disinformation in the EU and its neighborhood and to promote coordinated action. Experts, Officials, Diplomats, Young Professionals, Civil and Media Sector Experts on Disinformation and Strategic Communications discuss together on strengthening the capacity of EU institutions to combat disinformation; Strengthening joint response; Mobilizing the private sector and raising awareness of the issue.  Read more…  Source: https://eeas.europa.eu

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. Georgian Civil Society Organizations and Civic activists addressed to the European Socialists Party (PES), President Stanishev and Secretary-General Post:  ‘We, the undersigned representatives of the Georgian civil society organizations and civic activists, would like to address you at this important moment in the history of modern Georgia and urge you to take immediate and adequate actions responding to the grave challenges to the pluralistic and participatory democracy in the country, as a result of the actions of the ruling party Georgian Dream, a sister party to PES, which adds on to the ongoing state capture by the informal governor of Georgia and the chair of the party Mr. Ivanishvili’.  Read more… Source: https://www.gdi.ge

Tbilisi. EU Delegation and the US Embassy in Georgia made a statement to Georgia regarding on-going events in Tbilisi.  ‘The Delegation of the European Union to Georgia and the Embassy of the United States of America recognize the deep disappointment of a wide segment of Georgian society at the failure of Parliament to pass the constitutional amendments required to move to fully proportional parliamentary elections in 2020’ – Is mentioned in the statement, - ‘In view of the current situation, we consider it essential to immediately work to restore trust through a calm and respectful dialogue between the government and all political parties and civil society with a view to finding an acceptable path forward. We fully support the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. We call on all parties exercising this right to do so in a lawful manner and within the framework of the Constitution’.  Read more…  Source: https://eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. The Board of the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics expresses its concern over frequent attacks of members of the government on media representatives. “Such attitude of the government towards certain means of media is an indicator for us that the government is eager to change and intimidate journalists, or even make them think whether to disseminate critical facts about and pose tough questions to any branch of the government or not”, -is noted in the statement of the Board of the Charter, - “We call on the international community to pay more attention, along with intensifying political processes in Georgia, to facts of attack on journalists and attempt of their discrimination committed by state authorities, as well as to provide an appropriate appraisal to each similar case and respond accordingly”. Read more… Source: https://www.qartia.ge

Imereti. Local Democracy Agency Georgia was held forum in Zestaponi Municipality. Forum was attended by citizens, Mayors, City Hall department heads, and mayoral representatives in the administrative units from Baghdati municipality. The goal of this forum is to increase the involvement of citizens in municipal-level planning, include citizens’ input in next year’s budget, and improve communication between municipality’s local authorities and its populations. Read more…  Source: https://www.facebook.com/LDAGeorgia

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. The Public Defender filed a constitutional lawsuit with the Constitutional Court of Georgia and requested that the rule of selection of Supreme Court judicial candidates[1] by the High Council of Justice be declared unconstitutional. The Public Defender considers that the procedure for selecting Supreme Court judicial candidates violates the constitutionally guaranteed rights of a Georgian citizen to hold public office (Constitution, 25-1), to have access to a fair trial (Constitution, 31-1, first sentence) and the principle of an independent and impartial trial (Constitution, 31-1). The constitutional lawsuit is based on the findings of the Venice Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), as well as the factual circumstances identified as a result of monitoring the selection process (by the Public Defender of Georgia, OSCE/ODIHR). Read more…  Source: http://ombudsman.ge

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. The Public Defender of Georgia calls on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take proactive preventive measures with regard to the intention of the Georgian March to block the entrances to the Tbilisi and Batumi cinemas during the premiere of a movie - And We Dance. ‘The Public Defender explains that the right to assembly protects only the right to peaceful assembly and not the acts aimed at restricting the rights and freedoms of others. For this purpose, the Law of Georgia on Assemblies and Demonstrations imposes certain obligations on the organizers and participants of such actions; inter alia, it prohibits the blockage of the entrances to the premises during assemblies and demonstrations’, - Is mentioned in the statement. Read more…  Source: http://ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations demand to grant a legal status to those affected as a result of June 20-21 developments and release a special statement. “We call on the General Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia: to grant immediately a status of victim to all those people, who have been injured as a result of actions taken by law enforcers during June 20-21 developments; conduct an effective and impartial investigation in the current case in a timely manner; taking into account high public interest, periodically inform public about the progress of the investigation in the current case”. Read more… Source: article42.ge

Within the framework of the project “Inclusive Dialogue - Effective Social Policy”, Local Democracy Agency Georgia held a working meetings with members of the civic advisory board in Baghdati and Zestaponi Municipalities. „The goal of the meetings was to get acquainted with the document prepared based on the need’s assessment of the residents of Baghdati and Zestaponi. Members of the civil advisory boards have been actively involved in advocating for the needs identified within the Project“, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: The page of the organization in a social network

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. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is pleased to present the twenty-second edition of the CSO Sustainability Index (CSOSI) for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, covering developments in 2018. It addresses both advances and setbacks in seven key components or “dimensions” of the sustainability of the civil society sector: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, sectoral infrastructure, and public image. The Index is intended to be a useful source of information for local CSOs, governments, donors, academics, and others who want to better understand and monitor key aspects of sustainability in the CSO sector. Read more… Source: www.fhi360.org

Kvemo Kartli. Youth from Kvemo Kartli extend their support to Hamid Sadikov, a teacher of geography in Tazakendi, who has been forced by part of the population to apologize in the center of the village for his status related to kidnaping of a schoolgirl and posted in a social networ. There has appeared a website in a social network that publishes the first video, in which Muslim youth address both Hamid and the public: “Hello, we have come, we are in front of you! We come to fight against injustice! We come to protest premature marriage and abduction of girls by force! Hamid, you are not alone! Do not touch a teacher, if you have something to say tell it to me! I am Hamid! We are Hamids! Watch the video… Source: The website in a social network

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Public Defender and Deputy Public Defender met with representatives of the media and civil sector in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda. The challenges of ethnic minorities in the region, the issue of teaching the Georgian language, shortcomings in the 4+1 programme and the problem of the low quality of general education were discussed at the meeting. Read more…  Source: http://ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. A full of positive emotions two-day “Community Leadership Forum 2019” is over. The forum of his year was dedicated to the International Day of Rural Women. The forum was conducted within the framework of the project “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” with the support of the European Union and Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Read more… Source:The website of the organization in a social network

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. Human Rights Center requests the prosecutor’s office to grant victim status to the 38 journalists who covered the protest demonstration in Rustaveli Avenue on June 20.  ‘Human Rights Center calls on the Office of the Prosecutor General of Georgia: to conduct investigation over the criminal cases under the Article 154 of the CCG, which refers to the interference in the professional activities of journalists; to conduct comprehensive and impartial investigation and impose criminal liability over the perpetrators; to grant victim status to the citizens who received the injuries as a result of the dispersal of June 20, 2019 protest demonstration in accordance to the Article 56 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia’, - Is mentioned in the statement of the organization.  Read more…  Source: http://www.humanrights.ge

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...