Promoting an informed engagement by civil society and youth in Europeanization in Georgia

Georgian Institute of Politics has launched a project entitled “Promoting an informed engagement by civil society and youth in Europeanization in Georgia”, supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. The areas of cooperation – Strengthening democracy and civil society supporting European and Euro Atlantic integration. 

Georgia’s European integration is strategically important, particularly after signing Association Agreement in 2015. Georgian population’s basic part support to EU integration. Georgia is part of Europe in rhetoric, but in reality there is quite limited knowledge and understanding about the actual EU realities and perceptions towards Georgia. One of the major weaknesses of the current Europeanization process is the gap between Georgian society and the rest of the EU, which exists because of lacking common experiences, knowledge about the EU, EU-Georgia cooperation and its effects and benefits on Georgia. The same is true among young people, who are usually more enthusiastic proponents of the EU.  However despite the fact that majority of youth supports Georgia’s EU integration, they still have lack of information about –EU relations.  

This project will seek to engage civil society activists and young people, both in the country’s capital, and in selected Georgia’s regions, to promote deeper understanding of Europeanization process and its importance for Georgia’s democratic development. Georgian youth will be engaged in educational activities, promoting better understanding of the country’s European integration, and encouraging them to participate in the process through a number of opportunities opening to Georgia.  

The project offers an opportunity for Georgia’s civil society to strengthen dialogue among civic actors, and with government officials, political parties, and diplomatic community, on strategically important issues within the European integration process, based on analysis of the on-going reforms, challenges and international political developments that affect Georgia’s aspirations 

The project aims to promote a more informed participation of Georgia’s civil society and youth in the European integration process.  

Project activities: 

• A roundtable discussion with a Lithuanian expert: “Georgia’s Europeanization: a view from Vilnius”. 
• A series of policy memos and blog articles on EU issues relevant to Georgia’s development and Europeanization. 
• An international summer school in Tbilisi for Georgian and European students. 

• Series of seminars in the regions, to foster deeper learning about European integration and its links to the country’s democratization, active citizenship, and development.