Democratic Political Culture

That topics about the environmental are not very popular in Georgian society became clear during the discussion on the topic “Green activism for the environment”, held by the Boell Foundation. There were 16 discussion participants, who, despite the acuteness of the problem, discussed the reasonability of building waterpower plants in Kazbegi region and generally addressed the problems of recreational zones in Dighomi park land. They also spoke about the society’s role in overcoming environmental issues. more»

Gender agenda for the equal involvement of men and women

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“Gender agenda for the equal involvement of men and women” was the topic that was selected for the discussion held on 28 March 2013 at the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s office. The participants of the discussion were: Guguli Maghradze, member of the Gender Equality Council of the Parliament of Georgia, Tamar Gurchiani, a lawyer, Tamar Bagratia, expert on gender issues, and Tamar Sabedashvili, advisor on gender issues at the United Nations Organization.

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The Labor Code and Workers’ Movement

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27 February, 2013
The speakers of the discussion spoke about the following issues: whether the employer has a hostile attitude towards the employee, what changes are being made to the Labor Code adopted in 2006 and why; different opinions and approaches as to whether the Labor Code is discriminatory and if it can be viewed as a commodity; historicallyestablished labor relationships between the employer and the employee; the Labor Code resulting from long lasting social conflict and how to solve this issue; labor rights and social dialogue; workers’ movement practices; the essence of a strike and its meaning; and the role of trade unions in the protection of labor rights. 

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Geneva Process and Peaceful Transformation of Conflicts: A New Political Reality

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23 January, 2013
In 2013, the Heinrich Boell Foundation resumed its discussion cycle with the topic “The Geneva Process and Peaceful Transformation of Conflicts: A New Political Reality”. What is the new political reality, and what does peaceful transformation imply? What are the most important problems of the Geneva process? Why are the Geneva talks important for the Georgian party and other participants? The participants’ topics of discussion included long-term perspectives, new approaches, the views of the previous and present governments and the steps taken towards conflict resolution, parallels to the Cold War, gridlock, and looking for the ways out of the given reality.

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Kutaisi, 15 March, 2013
What is feminism and why are feminists considered to be a certain circle creating a crisis? What is the role of the family, and why do politicians use the issues of women’s employment and the data on women as “victims” of Georgian traditions for their own PR? These aspects were the main line in speakers’ and debate participants’ speeches and questions. more»

From or to the Center: Regionalism and Local Self-Governance

- Batumi, 22 February, 2013
“According to the present constitution, the Autonomous Republic of Adjara has no rights at all, and the only thing we manage to do is to control the budget.” This is how Alexandre Chitishvili, the chairperson of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Supreme Council of Adjara, started his speech at the debates entitled “From or to the center: regionalism and local self-governance”, organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. more»

Understanding the Cult of Personality: The Deconstruction of Stalin’s Myth

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Batumi, 19 April, 2013

“For Georgians, Stalin is more of a national icon rather than a political ideal,” stated sociologist Iago Kachkachishvili with regard to his evaluation of his research results. The sociological survey that studied the attitudes toward Stalin in Russia and the South Caucasus involved 3 500 respondents and was conducted together with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation.

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Understanding Stalin’s Cult of Personality in Today’s Reality

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Kutaisi, 5 April, 2013
Stalin still evokes sympathy decades and generations later, as more time passes that sets us apart from him. What do schools teach pupils about Stalin, and why does the new generation feel sympathy for Stalin’s image? These are speculations and questions that were discussed during the debates held by the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Kutaisi, entitled “Understanding Stalin’s Cult of Personality in Today’s Reality”.

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City and Citizens - Social and Political Aspects of Urban Development

- Kutaisi, 15 February, 2013.
The first debates held in Kutaisi by the Heinrich Boell Foundation were met with high public interest. There were two main themes discussed at the meeting: the city development in terms of urban planning and economic development, especially through tourism. The first speaker at the meeting was Konstantine Charkhalashvili, the chief specialist of Kutaisi Economy Service, whose main sphere of interest is tourism. more»

What problems does Georgia face in regards to protection of ethnic, religious and sexual minorities rights? The problem was discussed at the public discussion on “Georgian Society’s Capacities for Inclusiveness: Cultural and Legal Aspects for Acceptance of Differences” held in Batumi on December 14, 2012. more»

“Green” Views of Politics in the Context of Sustainable Development: Global and Local Perspectives

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How do Georgian specialists view “green competitors” in politics within the framework of sustainable development, caring equally for both global and local issues?

Population increase, massive forest destruction, increased demand for water and energy sources, and expanding urbanization are only a few of the factors resulting in the environmental disaster that the Earth is currently facing. Humans have never treated nature as badly as they have during the second half of the 20th century.

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Society and Politics after October Elections: Challenges of “Great Changes” and “Great Hopes”

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Representatives of non-government organizations, 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.

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Politics and Culture in the Context of State-Society Relations

- How do the state and politics define the formulation of culture into one officially sanctioned “ideologized” direction, and what should state policy be to allow for an open, free and inclusive environment? Is there a “radical” change in Georgian culture, and is the preservation of existing cultural memory necessary for public development? These were some of the issues discussed during a public discussion organized in Batumi on September 21 by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. more»

New Identities in Georgia: Taboos and Minorities

- Is it necessary for the modern Georgian state to ensure human rights through collective rights for certain groups? How can identities distinct from the majority be accepted and recognized by the general society? Should this be a state policy objective? These issues were discussed at a public discussion organized by Heinrich Boell Foundation on July 23 in Batumi. more»

People with Disabilities and Social and Political Approaches: Recourses and Problems

- The issue of the needs of people with disabilities was discussed during the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s public event held at Press Café in Batumi on July 10. more»

Women in Georgia: cultural norms and social responsibility

- In spite of declared equality, the lack of women in Georgian politics and at all levels of government is obvious. This was the main topic of the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s public discussion organized in Batumi. more»

Why is Lazika being built?

- On April 20, the Heinrich Boell Foundation organized a public discussion in Poti entitled “Why is Lazika being built?”
This is a rhetorical question, since as moderator Irakli Absandze noted at the beginning, it is difficult to talk about a project that has no proposal or realistic budget. While there seems to be political will, there is no empirical document confirming the plan to build the second largest city in Georgia.  more»

Arguments Surrounding the Mosque of Azizie

- On April 19th, the Batumi Press Café hosted a public discussion entitled “Arguments Surrounding the Mosque of Azizie”, organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. Key speakers included Ruslan Baramidze, Professor of History and HBF scholarship holder 2004, Zaza Shashikadze, Professor of Historical Sciences, and historian Sulkhan Okropiridze. more»

The first speaker was a journalist and political analyst from Tbilisi, Mikhail Vignanski. He began by pointing out that the situation in Georgia is developing very rapidly and attracts a lot of attention. On the whole Mr. Vignanski voiced a fairly harsh criticism of Saakashvili’s regime noting that the current president could have done much more, given that the West gave him a carte blanche and his citizens trusted him so much. Nina Iskandaryan more»

Summing Up the “Election Year”: Has Anything Changed?

- The first speaker of the event was Mkrtich Minasyan, MP representing the ruling Republican Party. Mr. Minasyan began his presentation by listing the three most important elections held in the period from May 2012 to May 2013: Parliamentary Elections on 6 May, 2012; Presidential Elections on 18 February, 2013 and Yerevan Municipality Elections on 5 May, 2013. In all three elections, the Republican Party won a landslide victory; the assessments of the elections by both international and local observers were generally positive. Nina Iskandaryan more»

Is Everybody Leaving? Migration to and from Armenia: Myths and Reality

- Haykanush Chobanyan, the first speaker, presented the viewpoint of the State Migration Service and shared her personal research experience. Mrs. Chobanyan primarily described problems with assessing the exact or even approximate number of migrants, the imperfections of technologies used and insufficient funds for their reformation. Nina Iskandaryan more»

The European Union vs. the Eurasian Union: Armenia’s Choice

- The theme of the first debate in 2013, The European Union vs. the Eurasian Union: Armenia’s Choice, is highly topical in Armenia. A lot is being said and written on the topic but most of the time, not in discussion format, as the supporters of various viewpoints have their own separate platforms and hardly ever intersect. In this sense, it was a good topic for a public debate. more»

Armenia before Presidential Elections

- Tevan Poghosyan, the first speaker, began with saying that the nomination of candidates is not over and therefore, we cannot discuss the upcoming elections in full detail. He also expressed confidence that the leader of Heritage Party, Raffi Hovannisyan, would soon officially become a candidate. In this context, Mr. Poghosyan reminded the audience of the letter that Mr. Hovannisyan had written to current president Serzh Sargsyan, in which he describes how to insure a fair election process. more»

New City Image: Yerevan and Tbilisi

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The image of a city is not just about architecture, design or infrastructure, but also about the people who live in it, shape it and create its lifestyle; the software rather than the hardware.

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Local Administration in Armenia. Reforms and Issues

- "The main issue is that the heads and members of the community councils need to realize that the law puts the power in their hands. They need to become pro-active and take the lead in decision-making on local level," - says Armen Galstyan, Deputy Director of International Center for Human Development (ICHD) Nina Iskandaryan read more»

Transformation of Gender Roles in Armenian Society

- "Gender equality is a necessary precondition for democracy. Truly democratic society offers equal opportunities to all its citizens regardless of their gender, otherwise democracy works only for one half of the citizens,"- says Mary Titizian, Director of the Hrayr Marukhyan Foundation. Nina Iskandaryan more»

The Emerging Civic Movement in Armenia: Trends and Actors

- The South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation is extending its series of public debates. The traditional format of the discussions known as “Public Debates” now is held not only in various regions of Georgia but also in Yerevan, Armenia. The project is implemented in cooperation with the Caucasus Institute, Armenia. The first Yerevan debates this year were held on October 2, 2012 on topic ”The Emerging Civic Movement in Armenia: Trends and Actors.” more»

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. One of the participants even asked why students choose the dean of the faculty. Some assumptions were expressed about students’ current lack of engagement. One of the students from the audience stated that protests are often too theatricized, making them unnatural. However, everyone agreed that some methods of protest may become outdated, and new forms need to be developed. more»

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. more»

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 Heinrich Boell Foundation.   more»

Human Rights Priority: The Role and Mission of the Ombudsman – Public Expectations and Possibilities for Change

- The topic “Human rights priority: the role and mission of the Ombudsperson – public expectations and possibilities for change,” was especially interesting to the public, unlike previous discussions held about public defender issues, especially given the background in the country of changes after the elections. more»

The Feminine Tradition in Georgian Literature: New Faces and Legacies

- The literary competition “Saba”, one of the most important events in the Georgian cultural environment, was founded in 2003 and so far has been held 10 times. For the past decade, only 17 out of 85 awards have been issued to women. more»

Figures of the National in the Soviet Empire: Perception of Georgia in Russian Literature, 1920-1930

- At the first convention of Soviet writers in 1934, Titsian Tabidze and Paolo Iashvili were strongly criticized. However, during this period their essays were also translated, events were organized in their honor, and their poems were widely read. This admiration continued throughout the massive terror in the Soviet Union and only ended when these poets were killed. more»

Crisis of Democratization and Transformation of Ethno-Political Conflicts in the South Caucasus

- What hinders resolution of the conflicts in the South Caucasus, especially since there is no fundamental problem of ethnic tension between individuals? Thomas de Waal, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace states that the people involved in the conflict have nothing against each other. more»

Electoral Challenges for Democratic Development of Georgia: A Test to Measure the Efficiency of the European Neighborhood Policy

- “How can we avoid the threats that we face in the next two weeks? How can we protect democracy in our country?” As these questions were raised, neither the author, nor the speakers of the discussion and members of the public gathered at the Heinrich Boell Foundation could imagine that this question would become critical with the background of pre-election events. more»

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. more»

Human Beings and Space for Humanity in Totalitarian Uniformity: What Kind of Knowledge do Archives Provide?

- This discussion held at HBF’s South Caucasus Regional Office concerned archives. What is the knowledge that can be generated, or what is the knowledge preserved by, archives? How can researchers or regular citizens find information and read case materials? What are the problems regarding this issue in Georgia and Russia? more»

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. While moderate political discourse is perceived as unbiased in scientific and academic literature and a significant number of people support it, highlighting the strength of this sector of society, their political impact seems less expected. So why is it associated with a “lack of a political position” in Georgia? These topics were raised during the discussion “Polarities in Georgian Politics: Where are Resources for Moderation?” held at HBF on July 4, 2012. more»

Report of the Public Defender of Georgia on Human Rights and Freedoms – 2011

- “How can human rights become a popular subject in the country? Should the main foundation of modern Georgian statehood be based on human rights? What should the country be based on? Does the public agree that human rights are a central aspect of all issues?” Zviad Koridze, one of the speakers of the discussion, posed these key questions. more»

Politics and Religion: the Tendency of Desecularization

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Desecularization is not happening in Georgia due to a simple reason: it has never been a secular state. This point served as the key message from the discussion held at the Heinrich Boell Foundation Office on the topic “Politics and Religion: Desecularization Tendency”. The idea for the discussion occurred after the Christian-Democratic Party’s initiative for constitutional amendment. Since then, many interesting statements have been made in this regard, which naturally caused doubts of a strengthened desecularization processes.

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Discrediting the idea: What Liberalism Means in Georgia

- The public discussion on liberalism and liberal values held at the Heinrich Boell Foundation on 30 May 2012 focused on society’s attitudes towards these values and its readiness or reluctance to accept them. The speakers included Ms. Salome Asatiani, Ms. Shorena Shaverdashvili, and Mr. Gela Bandzeladze. The issues debated involved such problems as the extent to which the government that came to power due to the 2003 Rose Revolution promoted liberal values. The roles of the political elites and think tanks in transforming Georgian society, particularly the country’s cultural life were also discussed. more»

Freedom and Fear

- The public discussion held at the Heinrich Boell Foundation on 16 May was dedicated to the International Day of Fighting against Homophobia and Transphobia, which is denoted on 17 May. more»

Discrimination as a Grave Circumstance of a Crime: Amendments in the Criminal Code of Georgia

- On 27 March 2012, the Georgian Parliament adopted amendments to the Criminal Code by the third hearing, according to which intolerance as a motive was considered as an aggravating circumstance for every crime. The article was defined as follows: “Racial, color, language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, political and other views, disability, citizenship, national, ethnic and social origin, property and other status, place of residence or other biased motives will be considered as aggravated circumstances”. Previous articles in the Criminal Code had also fought discrimination to some extent. more»

The Role of a Citizen in Politics – What Does Civil Activism Mean?

- “The Role of a Citizen in Politics – What Does Civil Activism Mean?” is the topic to which the Heinrich Boell Foundation dedicated another public session. The discussion speakers, Ms. Tamar Gurchiani, Mr. Zaal Andronikashvili and Mr. Ghia Nodia, together with the audience, discussed the challenges confronting Georgian civil society and, based on the experience of recent years, proposed their suggestions for a solution. more»

Georgia and Its Future in Europe

- 80% of Georgia’s population supports EU integration. Moreover, 88% of Georgia’s population thinks that Georgia should become an EU member. However, how the country can join the EU and what steps should be undertaken for a closer integration with the EU remains unclear to the broader public. more»

Is it necessary for the modern Georgian state to ensure human rights through collective rights for certain groups? How can identities distinct from the majority be accepted and recognized by the general society? Should this be a state policy objective? These issues were discussed at a public discussion organized by Heinrich Boell Foundation on July 23 in Batumi. more»

People with Disabilities and Social and Political Approaches: Resources and Problems

- The issue of the needs of people with disabilities was discussed during the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s public event held at Press Café in Batumi on July 10. more»

Women in Georgia: Cultural Norms and Social Responsibility

- Before the 1990s, the low representation of women at different levels of government was mainly associated with women’s personal choice, in connection with Georgian traditions and stereotypes. The role of women in social and political platforms could not exceed their positions at general education institutions. Are these conditions still hindering factors for gender equality and equal representation of women and men in government? more»

Why is Lazika being built?

- On April 20, the Heinrich Boell Foundation organized a public discussion in Poti entitled “Why is Lazika being built?” This is a rhetorical question, since as moderator Irakli Absandze noted at the beginning, it is difficult to talk about a project that has no proposal or realistic budget. While there seems to be political will, there is no empirical document confirming the plan to build the second largest city in Georgia.  more»

Arguments Surrounding the Mosque of Azizie

- In early 2012, the Ministry of Culture informed the public about successful negotiations regarding the restoration of Ishkhani and Oshki monasteries, in addition to the construction of Azizie’s Mosque in Batumi and restoration of another mosque in Akhaltsikhe. more»

What is a function of student’s self-governance, how student self-government bodies are elected, what is a duration of the elected self-government bodies, how the functions of the student self-governments differ from each other at various Georgian universities, what is a rate of trust in this institution, what are major problems students in Georgia face and how the student self-government bodies support students in solving these problems, what was the reason for establishing an alternative student movement – These were some of the issues discussed during the debate held at the HBF on 14 December 2011. more»

Resolution 1325: Women, Peace and Security

- Women and peace, conflicts and safety, gender based violence, human rights, women’s role in conflict prevention and resolution, participation in peace processes, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and Georgia’s National Action Plan – these were some of the issues discussed on 7 December 2011 at the public debate: Resolution 1325: Women, Peace and Security organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office. more»

HIV-Infection/AIDS and Human Rights

- First data about an unknown disease with a lethal outcome were reported at the end of 1970’s by the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, USA. To present, the total number of HIV/AIDS-affected population reaches 33 million worldwide. In Georgia, the first case of infection was recorded in 1989. Since then, the number of HIV/AIDS-positive persons increased to 3080. more»

Administration of Justice and Protection of Human Rights in the Justice System in Georgia

- A public debate at the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office held on 16 November 2011 was devoted to the issue of Administration of justice and protection of human rights in the justice system in Georgia. more»

New Directions of Georgia’s Forestry Reform

- Forest should have its owner, existing legislation should be changed as Georgia’s forestry sector is in great need of reform - participants and speakers of the debate held at the HBF on 9 November 2001 on the issue of new directions of Georgia’s forestry reform, agreed upon these postulates. Though, the speakers invited by the HBF had diverging opinions regarding mechanisms for implementing reforms. more»

Repatriation Issues for Muslim Meskhetians

- It has been 67 years since Meskhetians were exiled from Georgia by the Soviet Regime.  In November 1944, the entire Muslim population living in Georgia’s south-eastern province of Meskheti, including the Karapapak, Kurds, Gipsy and Turks were forcefully evicted from their homes and were deported to Central Asia. more»

Participatory Urban Development – The Way towards Social Compact

- Urban Studies is one of the priority for the Heinrich Boell Foundation, - with these words Gogi Gvakharia, the moderator of the public debate opened the discussion: “Participatory Urban Development – The Way towards Social Compact” organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office on 12 October 2011. more»

Inclusive Education in Georgia

- The first state-financed project of the inclusive education was launched in 2006 by the National Curriculum Center at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. At the same period, wide discussion was initiated within the public on the issue of inclusive education. more»

“Registration of Religious Organizations as Legal Entities of Public Law”

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The reaction of the Georgian public to the adoption of "The Rule of Registration of Religious Organizations as Legal Entities of Public Law”, endorsed in July 2011 by the Georgian Parliament, was not homogenous. What positive or negative results could bring the ratification of the new legislation, does its adoption carry any potential threats for the society, what are the threats foreseen by the Georgian Patriarchate with the adoption of the new legislation, how the state had to negotiate the issue with the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, why the public reacted so sharply to the new legislation – these were the questions raised by the participants of the HBF discussion on the topic of “Registration of Religious Organizations as Legal Entities of Public Law.”

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Homophobia: Are attitudes towards minorities changing in Georgia?

- What does LGBT mean and what society knows about this term? What is the attitude of Georgian society towards such groups, and to what extent are those attitudes changing over time, according to experts’ observations? Is there a solid cultural basis for homophobia, and where and in which cultures has it emerged early on? What determines internalized homophobia, or what are the concrete cases of oppression of sexual minorities in Georgia? Is  homosexuality an ideology or it is just a simple individual choice to be what one is? Raising the issues of homophobia as a “phantom threat” and the problem of “coming out,”  the openness of the public debate held on June 22, 2011 at the Heinrich Boell Foundation distinguished it from other debates carried out on the same topic. more»

Challenges to Regional Media in Georgia

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Media independence, censorship and self-censorship, objective and non-biased information, information publicity and accessibility, lack of resources and transparency, non-professionalism - these are some of the key problemsthe media sphere faces in today’s Georgia.

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Report of the Public Defender of Georgia – The Situation of Human Rights and Freedoms in Georgia - 2010

- “Death export,” unbearable conditions in Georgian prisons, and recommendations that require immediate reaction – those are the issues that the public defender of Georgia Giorgi Tugushi talked about and that are also reflected in the annual Ombudsman’s report of 2011.  The annual report consists of 523 pages and mentions all critical problems that still exist in front of various state institutions as well as societal level and needs urgent cure. more»

Hate Speech in Georgia: What is the Borderline between Freedom of Expression and Crime?

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The Public Debate held at the Heinrich Boell Foundation on April 6, 2011 was devoted to the topic  “Hate Speech in Georgia: What is the Borderline between Freedom of Expression and Crime?” Taking into consideration the fact that Georgia does not enjoy a long discourse tradition on this topic, with active discussion on the hate speech issue having begun only two years ago,  the debates caused wide interest within  Georgian society.

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IDPs in Georgia and their integration within the today’s Georgian society

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Public discourse on the issue of IDP integration in characterized by various attitudes – IDPs themselves often consider integration as a factor hindering return to their homes and are less likely to view this process as a positive change either for them or for a wider societal life. For that reason, there exists diversity of approaches while defining the term “integration.”

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On 27 September 2011, the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office organized the public debate in Baku. The topic of the discussion was: “Gender as an issue of academic discourse in Azerbaijan”. This was already a second public discussion organized by the HBF in Baku in 2011. As a rule, HBF discussions raise critical issues and actual problems facing the Azerbaijani society.

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Integration of Persons with Disabilities into the Society

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Integration of persons with disabilities into the society, stereotypes that exist regarding persons with disabilities, ensuring their equal rights, including access to education and social security, functions and roles of governmental institutions and self-government bodies in protecting rights of persons with disabilities, concrete cases of human rights’ violations – these were main issues discussed at three public debates organized by the HBF in regional towns of Georgia: Gurjaani (5 September 2011), Poti (7 September 2011) and Batumi (8 September 2011).

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Results of the school certification examinations in Poti

- On 19 July 2011, a public discussion in Poti, organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation, was devoted to the issue of results of the certification examinations. more»

Tourism and Tourist Business in Adjara

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Is tourism the sole source of income in Adjara? – this question was raised several times during the public discussion organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation on 18 July 2011 at the Press Café in Batumi.

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Results of the certification examinations in Adjara

- According to preliminary information, 5,885 high school students of Adjara theoretically could have been able to clear the threshold and pass examinations. Many out of this number did not show up at all during the exams and even more students totally refused participation. Overall, approximately 761 of 12th year students could not pass exams in Adjara. more»

Agriculture in Kakheti – Challenges, Successes and Perspectives

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On May 10, 2011, the fifth public debate supported by the South Caucasus Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation was held at Telavi State University. The meeting was devoted to the agricultural problems and challenges in the Kakheti region.

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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, 2011, 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. However, part of the society nowadays thinks that the Supreme Council is not fulfilling its functions. more»

The role of media in the development of civil society

- On April 14, the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation 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. more»

The debate hosted by the HBF on the issue of rethinking the Soviet past and the Stalinism era attracted unprecedented public interest. The debate was attended by more than 150 persons. All participants of the discussion unequivocally noted that the Georgian society became ready to discuss this issue. Participants asked a lot of questions concerning the phenomenon of Stalinism, removal of the Stalin statue from the center of Gori, prohibition of Soviet symbolic in Georgia, the process of lustration and experience of Baltic and Eastern European countries concerning de-sovietization. A question was asked on how the Georgian society in today’s Georgia is still influenced by the Soviet system and Stalinism.

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Domestic Violence - Myth and Reality

- What is domestic violence? What are the reasons behind violence against a woman in the family, and what forms of violence can be distinguished? Does society understand what violence in the family or outside it is? Is a victim able to prevent violence right from the beginning? Could a woman be a provocateur of violence? Who tends to become victims of domestic violence? How important is social background in this issue? These questions were discussed at the debate, which a large and interested public joined. more»

Urban Development of Tbilisi: Realities and Perspectives

- On 17 November 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation hosted a public debate, “Urban Development of Tbilisi: Realities and Perspectives”. The following speakers gave presentations:

• Lado Vardosanidze – Professor, Technical University of Georgia;
• Papuna Dzidziguri – Specialist, Architectural Department, Tbilisi Mayor’s Office;
• Joseph Salukvadze – Professor, I. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.

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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.

Introducing jury trials is a part of recent legal reforms in Georgia. The objective is to establish a criminal law system based on the adversarial trial principle.

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The Situation in the Northern Caucasus and Possible Influence on the Security and Stability of Georgia

- On 20 October 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation hosted a public debate about the current situation in the Northern Caucasus and its possible influence on the security and stability of Georgia. The debate was organized following the decision by the government of Georgia on 11 October 2010, to employ a visa-free regime for Russian citizens who are residents of the Northern Caucasus. The Georgian government described its decision as a precondition for re-building Georgia’s traditional and historical ties with the peoples of the Northern Caucasus. more»

Current Constitutional Reform in Georgia

- 6 October, 2010
Vakhtang Khmaladze – Expert, Member of the Civil Constitutional Commission
Lia Mukhashavria - Expert, Member of the Civil Constitutional Commission
Levan Tsutskiridze - Georgia Representative, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
Avtandil Demetrashvili – Chairman, State Commission on Constitutional Reform
Moderation: Mindia Ugrekhelidze

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. more»

Georgian-Abkhaz Youth Dialogue: Perspectives and Challenges

- On 16 June 2010, the HBS organized a debate dedicated to perspectives and challenges of the Georgian-Abkhaz Youth Dialogue and invited young persons who at various occasions have been involved in the Georgian-Abkhaz youth dialogue. They have been invited to inform the participants of the debate about their experiences and discuss the role of the public diplomacy in the conflict resolution process. more»

The Georgian-Russian Relations: Perspectives for Restoring the Dialogue

- On 2 June 2010, the HBS invited experts, representatives of non-governmental organizations, political parties and interested individuals for a debate on the theme of “The Georgian-Russian Relations: Perspectives for Restoring the Dialogue”. more»

Waste Management: Modern Challenges

- The waste management system available in Georgia does not meet international standards, waste collection and disposal systems are not well-developed in the country; waste is not recycled and used as a secondary resource. None of 63 landfills available throughout the country today meet sanitary and ecological requirements. more»

On 20 December 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office (HBF) organized a roundtable in Baku dedicated to the impact of the urban infrastructure on the lives of residents of Baku. Participants of the round-table discussed issues that are problematic for the Azerbaijani society, among others: current state of the city infrastructure, ecological problems of Baku, the degree of comfort of everyday life for Baku residents, their involvement in the solution of social and infrastructural problems of the city.

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Born in Exile – New Generation of IDPs with Old Problems

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The issue of the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into local communities is still problematic for our country. The lack of integration is the issue not only for an older generation of IDPs from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but also for those born in displacement. New generations of IDPs also suffer from this problem. Non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies and donors are trying to support and encourage integration, but the problem persists.

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The role of the Telavi State University in the development of civil society in Kakheti

- On 3 December 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation 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 Iakob Gogebashvili in the development of civil society in Kakheti. The debate was organized at the building of the Telavi State University (TSU). more»

Heavy Industrial Projects in Poti

- Heavy industrial projects that have been planned or are being carried out in the region and in Poti may cause significant ecological problems. Today, when society is focused on how to solve economic difficulties, it is not easy to advocate environmental issues. However, at a public discussion organized with the support of the Heinrich Boell Foundation on 26 November 2010, participants tried to discuss ways to help Poti to improve its environment. more»

Batumi’s ecological problems and potential solutions

- Experts and NGOs working on ecological problems in Georgia think that today the protection of the environment in our country is not a priority. According to NGO representatives working on ecological issues, this negative tendency is also connected to the gradually diminishing functions of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, which is becoming a weak governmental institution. more»

Media as a Mechanism of Control in Kakheti

- While assessing local media features, experts and representatives of regional media concluded that the quality of media freedom and independence in the Kakheti region faces significant restrictions.

In fact, in World Press Freedom rankings, Georgia has dropped to a lower place that confirms existence of unsatisfactory reality of media environment.

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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 after Shota Rustaveli (BSU) 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. Kh. Murghulia more»

Main Challenges for the Local Self-Governance in the Kakheti Region

- On 24 June 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation 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. The debate took place at the Telavi Branch of the State University after Iakob Gogebashvili. more»

Internally Displaced Persons of the Samegrelo Region: Problems and Integration in the Local Society

- After almost two decades of the ethnic conflicts in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the legacy of the displacement remains a reality for 246,000 internally displaced people in Georgia. The number of internally displaced population is substantial for a small country like Georgia, comprising 6% of the total population. more»

The Challenges to the Civil Society in Georgia

- On 18 June 2010, the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus Regional Office (HBF), in cooperation with the local Batumi-based non-governmental organization – The Center for Regional Development and Initiatives, organized a public debate in Batumi. more»

The function and meaning of the Local Self-Government

- 14 May, 2010
The existence of strong democratic institutions in the regions is the key for the successful democratic reforms in the country. In this regard, the strong local self-government is the bases for the future democratic developments in the region. Considering this, what is the situation today in the region of Adjara?  What do the representatives of local government and local society think about existing self-government model? How do they view their roles and places in the development process of local self-government? Newspaper "Batumelebi". Insert #5 (pdf) more»

Environmental Challenges in Poti Region: What do we have to change?

- 15 May, 2010
Ecology is a more and more pressing topic which is related to many problems everywhere throughout Georgia. But especially in the city of Poti, which on the one hand is one of the most important ports in the whole Black Sea Region and on the other hand is immediately situated nearby the Kolkheti National Parkwhich covers an area of 28 940 ha of land, the question of how to combine economic development and ecological sustainability is especially important. more»

Challenges for Tourism in Kakheti

- 27 April, 2010
Luscious green fields, rolling hills, deep valleys, countless vineyards, national parks and blue rivers against a backdrop of the Caucasian mountains – the Kakheti region of Georgia, known for its monasteries, landmarks, artists, and excellent vines and meat dishes among others, has always been a tourist attraction during Soviet and post-Soviet times alike. More than 300.000 visitors used to come to see its beautiful nature, taste its infamous vines and experience the Kakhetien hospitality every year before the breakdown of the Soviet Union. Although this number has decreased, more than 90 percent of Georgia’s tourists still pay a visit to this region during their stay. more»

Batumi Then and Now

- 21 April, 2010
It is quite difficult to find a city in Georgia, or anywhere else in the South Caucasus for that matter, that is changing its image as fast as the city of Batumi. The rehabilitation project of Old Batumi and new hotels being built in the city are just a few examples of large-scale projects currently underway in Batumi. more»

The Academic Community in Contemporary Azerbaijan. Academic Structures and Independent Research NGOs: Challenges and Prospects for Cooperation

- Contemporary Azerbaijan is a largely oil based economy, which has been able to benefit from continual high world oil prices over the past years. Despite the double digit growth rates, which the country was able to maintain until recently, the development of human capital and with it the advance of science and research remains in a backward stage. One alleged contributing factor may be a general undervaluation of the contributions of autochthonous science, education, and independent research for the further development of contemporary society and a subsequent shortage of public financing accorded to this sector. But the predicament Azerbaijan’s scientific community finds itself in is two-fold: Scientists do not only feel a lack of appreciation by their own government, but foreign Funds and Foundations have also been reluctant to put support of Azerbaijan’s scientific community on their agenda. Ulrike Graalfs more»

Constitutional Changes: Expectations, Challenges and Perspectives

- March 10, 2010 - Batumi
Georgia has amended its constitution more than ninety times since it was adopted in 1995. The frequency of alterations implies that the constitution currently neither corresponds to the needs of a transforming and modernizing Georgian state, nor to the demands and expectations of its people. While academic assessments of transitions processes are indicating that a stable broadly excepted constitution is one of the preconditions for a successful transition towards democratic reform the Georgian reality checks differs. Newspaper "Batumelebi". Insert #3. more»

Women’s participation in political positions in the region of Adjara: success, problems and perspectives

- The situation in Georgia regarding the representation of women in the country’s political processes is hard to describe as satisfactory today. The picture is even worse in the regions, where the women’s participation is more of the exception rather than the rule – these are the views we most often read in different reports and conclusions stated by various international organizations, NGOs and experts working on the issues of gender problems in Georgia. more»

Regional Media in Adjara. Chance and Limit for the Democratic Development of the Region

- January 11, 2010 - What is that the media in Adjara can do to support the democratic development process in the country and is there any possibility for the media to act as the controlling mechanism of the government in the region – these were the main issues discussed during the debates organized in Batumi on December 16th by the Heinrich Boell Foundation.
Article in newspaper "Batumelebi" in Georgian (download pdf) more»

Development of Tourism and Environmental Perspectives

- October 27, 2009 - Tourist season is over. Data from the Tourism Department of the Adjarian Autonomous Republic show that 400,000 tourists visited Adjara during the 2009 season, the highest number in recent years. The regional government has declared developing tourism one of its prime priorities. The renewal of the seaside boulevard in Batumi, new five-star hotels and a project to restore much of “old Batumi” all demonstrate the government’s desire to develop tourism infrastructure in Batumi. On the other hand, the quality of the waters of the Black Sea, the Batumi oil terminal and Batumi’s seaport raise questions about current and future environmental problems in the region.  more»

Debates in Gori and Akhaltsikhe

- July 16, 2009 - Increasing the awareness of the population of Georgia on the issues of political participation is of paramount importance for the development of civil society in the country. With this in mind the Heinrich Boell Foundation embarked on the way of reaching out the local population in the regions and raise the issues of relevance to their daily lives. Nino Gogoladze more»

“If Poland becomes a member of NATO, there will be nuclear war.” A Russian general delivered that warning to Ronald D. Asmus in the 1990s, on just his third day in the job of advancing the Clinton administration’s policy of NATO enlargement. When Asmus spoke on a panel at the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation on April 15, 2010, he did not reveal how he answered his pugnacious counterpart. Diplomatically, he also left the general unnamed. Dr. Iris Kempe more»

The Report of the IIFFMCG: Structural causes and strategic implications of the Russian-Georgian war in August 2008

- November 16, 2009 - A packed house greeted the first major public discussion in Georgia about the Tagliavini Report since it was issued. The standing-room-only crowd on November 11 numbered more than 100 Georgian citizens, joined by numerous members of the international community. They heard contrasting views from Temuri Yakobashvili, State Minister for Reintegration; Paata Zakareishvili, political scientist and Republican Party activist; and Tornike Sharashenidze, Head of the International Affairs Program at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). Iris Kempe more»

Absence of will

- September 11, 2009 - Vakho and Teo, the main heroes of this documentary are twenty-something university graduates from the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.  Born as the Soviet Union collapsed, they've grown up in the shadow of the wars that tore their country apart in the early nineteen nineties. They're too young to remember the fighting, but like everyone from their generation, their lives have been shaped by the legacy of the violence. N. Lejava more»

“The Fate of Georgia’s IDPs: Grief, Challenges, Hopes?”

- 01 July, 2009
Medea Turashvili - International Crisis Group
Julia Kharashvili - Head of the Department for External Affairs at the Ministry of IDP Issues of the Georgian Government
Marina Pochkhua - IDP Women Association “Consent”)
Facilitation: Giorgi Gvakharia more»

The Soviet past and problems of understanding Stalinism

- 10 June, 2009
Nino Bekishvili – Magazine "Liberali";
Levan Gigineishvili – I. Chavchavadze University;
Ilamaz Mitsishvili – society "Memorial".
Facilitation: Giorgi Gvakharia more»

Homophobia: from private to public space

- 20 May, 2009
Eka Agdgomelashvili – Women’s Initiative Supporting Group;
Paata Sabelashvili – Inclusive Foundation;
Nodar Sarjveladze – Psychologist, The head of the Christian-Democratic Institute.
Facilitation: Nino Danelia more»

Problems of Georgian-Russian relations

- 05 May, 2009
Paata Zakareishvili – Expert on Conflict Issues, Member of Republican Party;
Malkhaz Saldadze – Politologist, I. Chavchavadze State University
Moderation: Giorgi Gvakharia more»

1989-2009: Transformation of the Society and the State – from National Movement to Civil Protest

- April 8, 2009
Naira Gelashvili – Writer, head of the "Caucasian House";
Ivliane Khaindrava – Member of the Republican Party;
Emzar Jgerenaia – Sociologist, I. Chavchavadze State University
Moderation: Nino Danelia more»

Modernisation Project in Georgia

- March 18, 2009
Zaal Andronikashvili – Research Fellow, Center of Literature and Culture, Berlin;
Eka Aghdgomelashvili – Gender Specialist/"Inclusive" Foundation
Giga Zedania – I. Chavchavadze State University
Moderation: Giorgi Gvakharia more»

Political Alternative: Strategy of the Referendum?

- March 4, 2009
Gia Nodia – Political Scientist;
David Usupashvili – Chairman of Republican Party of Georgia
Moderation: Giorgi Gvakharia more»

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2007

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2006

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2005

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2004

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