Public Debates on "Participatory Politics" Aesthetics of Street Protest: Youth in Politics Even though the topic of the discussion was supposed to focus on aesthetics and forms of street protests, the speakers laid more emphasis on their content and talked about the goals of youth movements, the purpose of their formulation, and their future plans. Even the audience’s questions concerned the content of protests, the goals of youth movements, and their activeness and passiveness. The Legacy of the “Rose Revolution”: Retrospective Analysis and Prospects for Future Developments On the ninth anniversary of the Rose Revolution, the Heinrich Boell Foundation hosted a discussion on the “The Legacy of the Rose Revolution: Retrospective analysis and prospects for future developments.” The fact that the discussion was held in a semi-empty hall and the lack of questions asked could be indicators that Georgian society is not interested in the Rose Revolution any longer. Georgia’s Cultural Policy between the Past and the Future What should the format of cultural policy be? What are the key issues that could be referred to as defining the cultural policy field? Sopo Kilasonia and Niko Nergadze, journalists, Guram Odisharia, Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, and Nini Sanadiradze, Project Manager for the National Museum of Georgia, raised these issues during a discussion on cultural policy hosted by the HBF. Society and Politics after October Elections: Challenges of “Great Changes” and “Great Hopes” Representatives of NGOs, government, and the public gathered at the Press Cafe in Batumi on October 31 for a discussion organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. They met to discuss the public and politics after the October elections and the public’s expectations for changes. Human Rights Priority: The Role and Mission of the Ombudsman – Public Expectations and Possibilities for Change Tamar Gurchiani began her speech at HBF with a quote from the American Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the importance of life, liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness of people, and the state enabling people to have access to these rights. The Emerging Civic Movement in Armenia: Trends and Actors Gayane Shagoyan – anthropologist, Yerevan State University;Tigran Khocharyan – blogger;Alexander Iskandaryan – Political Scientist, CI Director; Moderator: Tatev Sargsyan, Caucasus University By Gayane Shagoyan and Alexander Iskandaryan Political architecture of the Internet in Georgia Almost 45% of the Georgian population has access to the Internet. In the capital, 60% of the population has access, while the rate in towns is 51%. Villages have much less coverage, with fewer than 20% of people able to access the Internet. More than 50% of Internet users seek information, 40% use social networks, while 26% use Facebook. Polarities in Georgian Politics: Where are Resources for Moderation? Moderate political discourse, compared with radical discourse and decisions, locate the former in the “middle” of the political spectrum. Some politicians, within the context of upcoming elections, call moderates’ existence in society inappropriate. Results of the certification examinations in Adjara On June 23, 2011 a public debate in Batumi, organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation, was devoted to the issue of results of the certification examinations in Adjara. Challenges to Regional Media in Georgia Levan Aleksishvili, Executive Director of the TV Company “Gurjaani”Irakli Absandze, Freelance journalist, Head of the Association “Argomedia”Ia Antadze, Head of the Civil Development Institute Board Moderated by Gogi Gvakharia Functions of the Supreme Council of Adjara “Functions of the Supreme Council of Adjara” was the topic of the public discussion organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation on April 15, held in the Press Café. The Supreme Council of Adjara is the highest legislative body of the Autonomous Republic that implements control over the government and approves the budget of the Republic. The role of media in the development of civil society On April 14, the South Caucasus Regional Office of the HBF organized a public debate in the city of Poti on the issue of the role of the media in the civil society development process. A major part of the debate was devoted to discussing current problems in this sphere. The role of the Telavi State University in the development of civil society in Kakheti On 3 December 2010, the HBF South Caucasus Regional Office together with its partner organization the Center for Regional Development and Initiatives hosted a public debate dedicated to the role of the Telavi State University after I. Gogebashvili in the development of civil society in Kakheti. Media as a Mechanism of Control in Kakheti In the public debate held at the Telavi St. University, participants included local journalists from Kakheti region, as well as representatives from the local government and opposition parties. According to the statement of G. Mosiashvili, the head of the Conservative Party Telavi Organization, media in Kakheti is especially active. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with regards to the cancellation of “Maestro” broadcasting by Telavi Cable Channel “Gorda.” Jury Trials Institutes in Georgia Jury trials, a method of trying court cases that involves engagement of a non-professional jury, are standard practice in many countries around the world. Just recently, this institution was introduced in Georgia. The Role and the Position of the Batumi State University after Shota Rustaveli in the development of Adjara Region Universities and university education in general, play an important role in the political and socio-economic development of every country. The Batumi State University is one of the principal universities in the Adjara region that has been playing a special role in the revival and the development of region’s education and culture. Challenges to Georgian Economy According to some data, the Georgian economy contracted 4% in the year of 2009. This year, the growth forecasted by the Georgian Government consisted of 2%. The foreign direct investment in Georgia fell to USD 658.4 million in 2009, 57.8% down from 2008's USD 1.563 billion, according to the data released by the Geostat, the Georgian statistics office. Main Challenges for the Local Self-Governance in the Kakheti Region On 24 June 2010, the HBF in partnership with the Center for the Regional Development and Initiatives organized a public debate in Telavi. The topic of the debate was: Main challenges for the local self-governance in the Kakheti Region.
Aesthetics of Street Protest: Youth in Politics Even though the topic of the discussion was supposed to focus on aesthetics and forms of street protests, the speakers laid more emphasis on their content and talked about the goals of youth movements, the purpose of their formulation, and their future plans. Even the audience’s questions concerned the content of protests, the goals of youth movements, and their activeness and passiveness.
The Legacy of the “Rose Revolution”: Retrospective Analysis and Prospects for Future Developments On the ninth anniversary of the Rose Revolution, the Heinrich Boell Foundation hosted a discussion on the “The Legacy of the Rose Revolution: Retrospective analysis and prospects for future developments.” The fact that the discussion was held in a semi-empty hall and the lack of questions asked could be indicators that Georgian society is not interested in the Rose Revolution any longer.
Georgia’s Cultural Policy between the Past and the Future What should the format of cultural policy be? What are the key issues that could be referred to as defining the cultural policy field? Sopo Kilasonia and Niko Nergadze, journalists, Guram Odisharia, Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, and Nini Sanadiradze, Project Manager for the National Museum of Georgia, raised these issues during a discussion on cultural policy hosted by the HBF.
Society and Politics after October Elections: Challenges of “Great Changes” and “Great Hopes” Representatives of NGOs, government, and the public gathered at the Press Cafe in Batumi on October 31 for a discussion organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. They met to discuss the public and politics after the October elections and the public’s expectations for changes.
Human Rights Priority: The Role and Mission of the Ombudsman – Public Expectations and Possibilities for Change Tamar Gurchiani began her speech at HBF with a quote from the American Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the importance of life, liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness of people, and the state enabling people to have access to these rights.
The Emerging Civic Movement in Armenia: Trends and Actors Gayane Shagoyan – anthropologist, Yerevan State University;Tigran Khocharyan – blogger;Alexander Iskandaryan – Political Scientist, CI Director; Moderator: Tatev Sargsyan, Caucasus University By Gayane Shagoyan and Alexander Iskandaryan
Political architecture of the Internet in Georgia Almost 45% of the Georgian population has access to the Internet. In the capital, 60% of the population has access, while the rate in towns is 51%. Villages have much less coverage, with fewer than 20% of people able to access the Internet. More than 50% of Internet users seek information, 40% use social networks, while 26% use Facebook.
Polarities in Georgian Politics: Where are Resources for Moderation? Moderate political discourse, compared with radical discourse and decisions, locate the former in the “middle” of the political spectrum. Some politicians, within the context of upcoming elections, call moderates’ existence in society inappropriate.
Results of the certification examinations in Adjara On June 23, 2011 a public debate in Batumi, organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation, was devoted to the issue of results of the certification examinations in Adjara.
Challenges to Regional Media in Georgia Levan Aleksishvili, Executive Director of the TV Company “Gurjaani”Irakli Absandze, Freelance journalist, Head of the Association “Argomedia”Ia Antadze, Head of the Civil Development Institute Board Moderated by Gogi Gvakharia
Functions of the Supreme Council of Adjara “Functions of the Supreme Council of Adjara” was the topic of the public discussion organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation on April 15, held in the Press Café. The Supreme Council of Adjara is the highest legislative body of the Autonomous Republic that implements control over the government and approves the budget of the Republic.
The role of media in the development of civil society On April 14, the South Caucasus Regional Office of the HBF organized a public debate in the city of Poti on the issue of the role of the media in the civil society development process. A major part of the debate was devoted to discussing current problems in this sphere.
The role of the Telavi State University in the development of civil society in Kakheti On 3 December 2010, the HBF South Caucasus Regional Office together with its partner organization the Center for Regional Development and Initiatives hosted a public debate dedicated to the role of the Telavi State University after I. Gogebashvili in the development of civil society in Kakheti.
Media as a Mechanism of Control in Kakheti In the public debate held at the Telavi St. University, participants included local journalists from Kakheti region, as well as representatives from the local government and opposition parties. According to the statement of G. Mosiashvili, the head of the Conservative Party Telavi Organization, media in Kakheti is especially active. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with regards to the cancellation of “Maestro” broadcasting by Telavi Cable Channel “Gorda.”
Jury Trials Institutes in Georgia Jury trials, a method of trying court cases that involves engagement of a non-professional jury, are standard practice in many countries around the world. Just recently, this institution was introduced in Georgia.
The Role and the Position of the Batumi State University after Shota Rustaveli in the development of Adjara Region Universities and university education in general, play an important role in the political and socio-economic development of every country. The Batumi State University is one of the principal universities in the Adjara region that has been playing a special role in the revival and the development of region’s education and culture.
Challenges to Georgian Economy According to some data, the Georgian economy contracted 4% in the year of 2009. This year, the growth forecasted by the Georgian Government consisted of 2%. The foreign direct investment in Georgia fell to USD 658.4 million in 2009, 57.8% down from 2008's USD 1.563 billion, according to the data released by the Geostat, the Georgian statistics office.
Main Challenges for the Local Self-Governance in the Kakheti Region On 24 June 2010, the HBF in partnership with the Center for the Regional Development and Initiatives organized a public debate in Telavi. The topic of the debate was: Main challenges for the local self-governance in the Kakheti Region.
