American Experience for Georgian Society

On April 23, Heinrich Boell Foundation hosted meeting and discussion within the Program “Open World.” The topic of the round table was: “American Experience of Civic Engagement in Relevance with Georgia”.

Open World is professional exchange program implemented by American Councils of International Education and funded by the US Congress Library. It aims to promote open, friendly relations between the US and other program-participant countries. The Open World implements ten-day internships on various topics in the USA.

Program coordinator Irma Barbakadze said they plan second exchange visit about civic engagement in the USA. The first delegation visited Florida, USA in the fall of 2011. Another group is leaving for Los Angeles on April 25 for ten-day visit where they will exchange information with local professionals, will hold meetings and discussion with American ethnic minority representatives on civic engagement issues.

Delegates of the first visit to USA and members of the new group attended the round table in the Boell Foundation office. Several participants made statements at the meeting and discussed the following topics: “hate speech – general review and practice,” “human rights situation – rights of ethnic minorities,” “methods and approaches to public education – comparative analyze,” “partnership for changes – cooperation of NGOs and local self-governments to eradicate existing problems and challenges,” “social unity – reasons of failure and pre-conditions of the success.”

Ethnic minority representative Zaur Khalilov, who went to the US on April 25, made a long speech about the so-called hate speech problem in Georgia. He said media and civil sector have key role in eradication problem of ethnic minorities.

The meeting participants underscored that ethnic minorities shall enjoy the same rights in Georgia as other citizens. Round table participants shared their experience and information gained during their trip in the US; they spoke about western values. Everybody agreed that Georgia should also create equal conditions for all ethnic groups and integrate them in the society.

Tamta Beliashvili