Lectures in Gori: the “Unknown” Soviet Past (2017)

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 since 2015. 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.

The project was implemented in 2 phases. The 1st phase of the project included lectures-seminars, film screenings, discussions, Red Terror Topography tour in Tbilisi by SovLab, and visit to theOccupation Museum. 2 weeks of the project was focuesd of women's issues -  women’s role and attitudes towards women in Soviet Union.

In the frameworks os lecture-seminars, the following topics will be presented:

  • Seminar 1.1 - Soviet occupation of Georgia
  • Lecture 1.2 - Soviet occupation of Georgia /Lasha Bakradze/
  • Lecture 2 - Soviet terror in Georgia /David Jishkariani/
  • Seminar 3.1 - Theory of Nationalism and Soviet Nationalist politics in Georgia
  • Lecture 3.2 - Theory of Nationalism and Soviet Nationalist politics in Georgia /Giorgi Maisuradze/
  • Lecture 4 - WW2 and Georgia /Malkhaz Saldadze/
  • Lecture 5 - Gender and Labour in Soviet Union /Salome Tsopurashvili/
  • Seminar 6.1- Soviet Economic Politics
  • Lecture 6.2 - Soviet Economic Politics /Malkhaz Saldadze/
  • Lecture 7 - Humor in Soviet Union /Giorgi Janelidze/
  • Seminar 8.1 - Politics of Memory in Soviet Union
  • Lecture 8.2 - Politics of Memory in Soviet Union /Nino Chikovani/
  • Lecture 9 - Rumors as Soviet inheritance /Nino Chikovani/
  • Lecture 10 - Football and Soviet Georgia /Dato Turashvili/
  • Lecture 11 - Post-Soviet Society /Emzar Jgerenaia/
  • Film screening
  • Closing seminar

During the 2nd phase of the project participants discussed the topics and prepared group presentations, held in public schools of Gori Municipality with pupils of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade and also, at Gori State Teaching University and in Non-governmental Organizations.