Lectures in Gori: the “Unknown” Soviet Past (2015)

A non-governmental organization Cooperation for Peace and Progress (CPP) in partnership with the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation implemented a project Lectures in Gori: the “Unknown” Soviet Past. The main goals of the above-mentioned project were as follows: to raise awareness on the issue of Soviet past among young people; to establish a sound platform for discussing the issues related to the Soviet Union among youth; to promote critical thinking and understanding of origins of totalitarian ideas and symbols.

Within the scope of lecture-seminars on the Soviet Union, the participants of the project concentrated on seven main topics.

  1. Nature of Totalitarism and Soviet Totalitarism by historian Levan Gigineishvili, professor at the Ilia State University;
  2. Philosophical and Ideological Basis of the Soviet Union by philologist Giorgi Maisuradze, professor at the Ilia State University;
  3. Soviet Terror by historian Irakli Khvadagiani, director of the Soviet Past Research Laboratory - SOVLAB;
  4. Cult of Stalin by historian Lasha Bakradze, director of the Literature Museum;
  5. Privileged Intelligentsia – “Priviligentsia” by histroian Nino Chikovani, professor at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University;
  6. Soviet Woman by philosopher Lela Gaprindashvili professor at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University;
  7. Daily Life in the Soviet City by architect-urbanist Lado Vardosanidze, professor at the Tbilisi Fine Arts Academy.

Up to 30 young people participated in the project. They took part in lectures and discussions within the framework of workshops, simulative games and debates. It was planned that by the end of the project every participant would become a speaker and would launch series of presentations at the Gori State University and number of public schools of Gori municipality.