Debates in Gori and Akhaltsikhe 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 HBF embarked on the way of reaching out the local population in the regions and raise the issues of relevance to their daily lives.
The Challenges to the Civil Society in Georgia On 18 June 2010, the HBF South Caucasus Regional Office, in cooperation with the local Batumi-based non-governmental organization – The Center for Regional Development and Initiatives, organized a public debate ‘The Challenges to the Civil Society in Georgia’ in Batumi.
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.
The function and meaning of the Local Self-Government 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.
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. By Ulrike Graalfs
Constitutional Changes: Expectations, Challenges and Perspectives 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.
Regional Media in Adjara. Chance and Limit for the Democratic Development of the Region 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.
1989-2009: Transformation of the Society and the State – from National Movement to Civil Protest Speakers of the debate expressed their own opinions on the following topics – realization of the events taking place in 1989-2009, searching for errors being made, public and state transformation, considering the experience of the past and finding the way out of the political crisis in the country.
Modernisation Project in Georgia Zaal Andronikashvili – Research Fellow, Center of Literature and Culture, Berlin;Eka Aghdgomelashvili – Gender Specialist/"Inclusive" FoundationGiga Zedania – I. Chavchavadze State University Moderation: Giorgi Gvakharia
Political Alternative: Strategy of the Referendum? Gia Nodia – Political Scientist;David Usupashvili – Chairman of Republican Party of Georgia Moderation: Giorgi Gvakharia