Human Rights Summer School has ended

A joint project of Human Rights Center, Public Defender of Georgia and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities – “Human Rights Summer School”, was held from July 10 to July 16.

20 young people of the age from 15 to 20 participated in the 7-day training course of Human Right Summer School, Georgia.  The participants of the project where selected from the different regions of Georgia, including occupied Gali and Akhalgori. 

“The interest from children was huge. We received more than 100 applications for participation in the summer school. OSCE HCNM and Human Rights Center selected about 30 best candidates, after conducting interviews with them, 20 people were selected. There were pupils and students among the selected participants. The main criteria for the selection were their motivation, background and their views about human rights. We have discovered that a lot of young people in Georgia have a common sense, they clearly see and evaluate human rights situation in Georgia, rights of minorities, an issue of tolerance etc,” said Nino Tlashadze, deputy executive director of Human Rights Center,.

Trainer Nodar Maminaishvili, from the non-formal education youth center “Sunny House”, evaluates the training positively. According to him, an interest and involvement of the participants was high. 

“Participation and involvement of the children in the trainings was very productive. The training mostly related with human rights. We opened it with basic issues like democracy and its purpose, also the role of civil society. We have also discussed such problematic issues like gender, children’s rights, rights of disabled people etc. We have understood what a civil society is, its role, purpose and each person’s responsibility in building civil and democratic society. The training was also interesting because very famous and important experts participated in it. Real examples, specific cases that they introduced to children were very interesting. Accordingly, the children received information not only about some theoretical issues, but also heard the reflections of the experts and their challenges,”_ said Nodar Maminaisvhili.

Humanrights.ge talked to the participants of the training and heard their impressions. 

Lazare Jibladze (TSU, Faculty of Law, Samegrelo): “When I heard about this project and its objectives, I got interested in it. Nowadays, human rights are one of the acute issues, which is challenging for Georgia. I think that participation of youth in this process is very important. Despite the fact that they teach us same subjects in schools and universities, this type of non formal education format was the most productive.”

Saba Sitchinava (school pupil, Samegrelo): “I am impressed; I could not imagine that it would be so easy for me to learn such difficult issues. I like this summer school very much and I hope that I will have other opportunities to participate in this kind of projects.”

Teona Gherkenashvili (TSU, Sociologist, second course, Tserovani IDP settlement): “I wanted to participate in this project for several reasons: the project was not only for children from Tbilisi, but for young people from the regions as well, which is very good. The training included many topics that are very interesting for me”.

Khalid Muradov (TSU, Faculty of Medicine; Kvemo Kartli): “The project was very interesting. I welcome this kind of projects. It will be good if similar projects continue to ensure an integration of young people. We exchange our opinions here. I have learned a lot thanks to the training, also I exchanged my knowledge with others.”

Mariam Varazashvili (TSU, Faculty of Humanities, Kvemo Kartli): “We have all gained from this integration. We were exchanging our opinions and views with each other. We have learned very interesting information about Abkhazian teenagers. We had very good trainers, they never allowed us to be bored, thanks to them the project was getting more and more interesting.”

Participant from Gali (Caucasus International University): “I am happy with the project, I have gained a good knowledge about human rights. We had very interesting trainings and very good trainers, they make the process very interesting.”

Shota Beltadze (TSU): The project was theoretical as well as practical by its characteristics, which is good. I will give my example: generally, I never change my decisions; however, during the training I have learned how to share others’ opinions and argumentations.”

According to Nino Tlashadze, the project includes four-month activity during which two summer schools are planned. One of them was conducted in Georgia, the other international summer school will be in – Istanbul. 

“From August 3 to 9 of 2015, international summer school is planned in Istanbul. Human rights lawyers and specialists of international law will participate in it. The participants will be selected from Georgia, including Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They will spend 6 days together, talk about common problems, share information about human rights issues in the society. The program will be led by international experts in human rights’ field, representatives of various international organizations and university professors from different countries of the world, mostly from Europe, also representatives and experts of OSCE High Commissioner Office will read lectures,”_ said Nino Tlashadze. 

The governments of Germany and Austria finance the project Human Rights Summer School.