- I’ll make friends with Abkhaz peers via the Internet.
- I can come with the Abkhaz girl to the next meeting.
- I’ll send Abkhaz children pictures and toys made by Georgian children.
- I can cooperate with non-governmental organizations operating in Abkhazia.
- I’ll tell about women's peacemaking to my friends.
- I’ll hold a workshop and "gather" peacemaking initiatives of young people.
- I’ll try to influence on my parents, who are still aggressive.
There are many more specific suggestions made on the last day of training. Participants of the training expressed their strong desire to be engaged actively in the process of peacemaking.
All of this was conditioned by the three-day training session on "Conflict and Peace", which was held in Batumi on May 11-13.
Participants were interested in the theory of conflict, analysis and ways of its solution.
After the second day of the training they were watching the performance of Batumi Drama Theatre "Last stop".
They looked at different conflicts presented in the performance through the lens of the knowledge and on the third day, during reflection, they could not hide their emotions because of composure shown by the public. They mentioned: we should not give the conflict the opportunity to escalate, it is difficult to manage conflict, but everyone can do it, and if society is united, it will be able to resolve the conflict, we must take care of conflict resolution, even when it does not concern us personally.
Most of the participants knew well the information on Georgian-Abkhaz conflict. This facilitated the perception of the issue and created the background for the third working day, which was dedicated to the theme "Peace and Peacemaking." Emphasis was placed on the peacekeeping role of women, the publication of Fund "Sukhumi", "Women in search of peace". Participants elaborated action plans, taking into account their peace initiatives.
The young women will use the obtained knowledge not only themselves, but will provide for others – they will hold workshops in Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Khoni, Poti, Senaki, Khurcha and try to find peace initiatives.
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
Participants of the meeting congratulated one of the most active members of the Club, Elsa Kvaratskhelia with her appointment as a Director of Zugdidi Public School № 3.
The moderator of the Club and a director of the gymnasium, Manana Nachkebia has also received congratulations, since the gymnasium named after St. George, had successfully passed the authentication.
Khatuna Bechvaia shared with the audience her impressions of the trip to America. She was in America for a month within the framework of one of the exchange programs.
Members of the Club learned that the problem raised by the advocacy group, has been positively resolved - the building (the former hotel "Odishi"), located in the center of the town, where live IDPs, was not provided with water.
After the advocacy group appealed in writing to the water company, the issue has been resolved (counters have been installed and the water supply have been restored).
This time at the club were raised and discussed local problems – there is no light on the streets, not enough parking space, internal roads are damaged, a botanical garden needs rehabilitation.
In order to solve those problems, they plan to invite members of the local government and offer them a specially designed package of problems. The Club members plan to take part in the consideration of the budget for the next year.
Zugdidi Club is different from the other Clubs by peace initiatives therefore the members of the Club read a new publication of Fund "Sukhumi" - "Women in the search for peace" with interest.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The cooperation of Fund "Sukhumi” with local self-government of Ozurgeti
has been continued. In particular, support and promote advocacy of problems
raised by advocacy group of the Club of Women Voters.
Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” met with a representative
Ozurgeti City Council Aleko Mameshvili.
When asked whether there were positive mechanisms for active involvement
of women candidates in the election process and decision-making, the answer was
as follows: "The problem is not who will be deputy majority - male or
female candidate, the main is that this person was acceptable to society and a
professional. As to the cooperation with the Fund
"Sukhumi", we agree to support the solution to all problems, which,
under the force of local government.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National
Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The cooperation of Fund "Sukhumi” with local self-government of Ozurgeti has been continued. In particular, support and promote advocacy of problems raised by advocacy group of the Club of Women Voters.
Representatives of Fund "Sukhumi” met with a representative Ozurgeti City Council Aleko Mameshvili.
When asked whether there were positive mechanisms for active involvement of women candidates in the election process and decision-making, the answer was as follows: "The problem is not who will be deputy majority - male or female candidate, the main is that this person was acceptable to society and a professional in his field. As to the cooperation with the Fund "Sukhumi", we agree to support the solution to all problems, which, under the force of urban management.
The project is implemented with the support of the organization NED – National Endowment for Democracy, USA.
The representatives of EED
partner organisations from Armenia and Georgia gathered in Yerevan to
participate in the NetworkingWorkshop on Peace and Reconciliation held on May
3-6, 2012. Representative of NGOs from Abkhazia were also invited for the
participation.
Participants of the workshop
were 23 persons, including 19 from different NGOs, Caroline Kruckow from EED /
BMZ - Germany and Bruce Britton from Framework – UK (facilitator of the
workshop). The organizers of the workshop were: Executive secretariat YMCA
Europe (Armenia) and Levan Abashidze – EED
consultant in Georgia.
The objective of the
workshop: Strengthening of EED POs on issues of peace and reconciliation, and
creation of the network to use the opportunities, resources and experiences of
EED POs.
Active participants of the
workshop were: Meri Gelashvili (Chairperson of Fund of Women-Entrepreneurs) and
Alla Gamakharia (Chairperson of Fund "Sukhumi”).
Despite the limited time
participants could share experiences, get knowledge on the logical framework of
the RPP, get to know each other better, acquire facilitation skills, create a
network and open a Facebookpage: https://www.facebook.com/group/401242309915887/.
The presentation of the publication "Women in Search of Peace” was held on May 2 in Kutaisi, in the Center of Democratic Involvement.
The presentation was attended by representatives from partner and donor organizations of Fund "Sukhumi", and journalists. Especially for this day in Kutaisi arrived Sara Laginder (coordinator of Kvinna till Kvinna in Georgia) and Zurab Mchedlishvili (Assistant to the Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, coordinator of the Gender Equality Advisory Council under the Chair of the Parliament of Georgia).
Attendees were provided with information about the Georgian-Abkhaz project and the research process. They got acquainted with the publication and emphasized that "Women in search of peace" is an expression of a peacekeeping position of the women living in Georgia, a major statement in peacemaking and a wonderful gem, which Fund "Sukhumi" pampers people interested in People to People Diplomacy, should be used by them as a guide.
The presentation was merged well with the most beautiful holiday "Kutaisoba” (day Kutaisi).
The project is implemented with the support of Kvinna till Kvinna, women’s Swedish Foundation.
The peacekeeping library of Fund "Sukhumi" was enlarged with another publication "Women in search of peace", which is the concluding document – visions of the women of Georgia on the peaceful future, published within the framework of a joint Georgian-Abkhaz project.
The author of the publication Ekaterine Gamakharia - completed her Master’s Degree in the International Human Rights Law. She is a freelance consultant and trainer for various NGOs.
The project was implemented by Cultural Humanitarian Fund "Sukhumi” and the Association of Women of Abkhazia with the support of Swedish women’s organization KVINNA TILL KVINNA.
Long term goal of the project: Promotion of gender approach to Georgian-Abkhaz conflict resolution.
The publication consists of five parts and is published in three languages- full version in Georgian, condensed version – in Russian and English.
