Civic Integration and Tolerance Council visits Akhaltsikhe
2008-07-11
<p>On July 10, the members of Civic Integration and Tolerance Council visited Akhaltsikhe, Samtskhe-Javakheti, to meet with local civil society institutions, journalists, and educational institutions, local government representatives and general public, to discuss the draft Strategic Vision of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia. Mrs. Tamar Kintsurashvili, Advisor to the President of Georgia on Integration issues and the Chairwoman of Civic Integration and Tolerance Council (CITC), Mr. Ramaz Aptsiauri, Chief of Party of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia program, Mrs. Anna Zhvania, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mr. Koba Chopliani, the Chairman of Ethnic Minority Council under the Public Defender of Georgia, addressed the public and introduced the draft Strategic Vision, which was jointly developed by the Civic Integration and Tolerance Council and UN Association of Georgia, within the frameworks of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Program, that aims to support the Government of Georgia in development of the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan.The series of such public review meetings is planned to be held during July-September. Civic Integration and Tolerance Council was established by the President of Georgia in August of 2005 that aimed at initiation and facilitation of integration and tolerance building oriented programs and interventions. By April 30 of 2008, President of Georgia has signed the decree that updated the composition of the Council and identified the detailed timeline for Council's performance. According to the Presidential Decree, the Council, consisting of prominent public and civil experts, is responsible to develop and submit the final draft project of National Integration Strategy and Action Plan by October 31, 2008 and further obliges the Council and the Government of Georgia to finalize and submit the Strategy and Action Plan for Parliamentary approval until December 31, 2008 (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Presidential Decree N282, April 30, 2008</span>) Administration of the President of Georgia, Civic Integration and Tolerance Council and the United Nations Association of Georgia highly encourage all interested parties and general public to engage in strategy development process. Draft strategy document is available at UNAG office, or may be downloaded from here -<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Civic Integration and Tolerance in Georgia, Strategic Vision</span>Comments and suggestions will be highly welcomed and considered. Please address your comments to following addresses: Administration of the President of Georgia, Office of the Advisor to the President of Georgia on Integration Issues: Ingorokva 7, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: 995 32/99 50 63 E-mail:<a href="mailto:tkintsurashvili@president.gov.ge">tkintsurashvili@president.gov.ge</a>and/or UN Association of Georgia: Dolidze str. 2, 0171, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: 995 32/33 52 16 E-mail:<a href="mailto:una@una.ge">una@una.ge</a></p>
<p>On July 10, the members of Civic Integration and Tolerance Council visited Akhaltsikhe, Samtskhe-Javakheti, to meet with local civil society institutions, journalists, and educational institutions, local government representatives and general public, to discuss the draft Strategic Vision of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia. Mrs. Tamar Kintsurashvili, Advisor to the President of Georgia on Integration issues and the Chairwoman of Civic Integration and Tolerance Council (CITC), Mr. Ramaz Aptsiauri, Chief of Party of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia program, Mrs. Anna Zhvania, the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mr. Koba Chopliani, the Chairman of Ethnic Minority Council under the Public Defender of Georgia, addressed the public and introduced the draft Strategic Vision, which was jointly developed by the Civic Integration and Tolerance Council and UN Association of Georgia, within the frameworks of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia Program, that aims to support the Government of Georgia in development of the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan.The series of such public review meetings is planned to be held during July-September. Civic Integration and Tolerance Council was established by the President of Georgia in August of 2005 that aimed at initiation and facilitation of integration and tolerance building oriented programs and interventions. By April 30 of 2008, President of Georgia has signed the decree that updated the composition of the Council and identified the detailed timeline for Council's performance. According to the Presidential Decree, the Council, consisting of prominent public and civil experts, is responsible to develop and submit the final draft project of National Integration Strategy and Action Plan by October 31, 2008 and further obliges the Council and the Government of Georgia to finalize and submit the Strategy and Action Plan for Parliamentary approval until December 31, 2008 (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Presidential Decree N282, April 30, 2008</span>) Administration of the President of Georgia, Civic Integration and Tolerance Council and the United Nations Association of Georgia highly encourage all interested parties and general public to engage in strategy development process. Draft strategy document is available at UNAG office, or may be downloaded from here -<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Civic Integration and Tolerance in Georgia, Strategic Vision</span>Comments and suggestions will be highly welcomed and considered. Please address your comments to following addresses: Administration of the President of Georgia, Office of the Advisor to the President of Georgia on Integration Issues: Ingorokva 7, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: 995 32/99 50 63 E-mail:<a href="mailto:tkintsurashvili@president.gov.ge">tkintsurashvili@president.gov.ge</a>and/or UN Association of Georgia: Dolidze str. 2, 0171, Tbilisi, Georgia Tel: 995 32/33 52 16 E-mail:<a href="mailto:una@una.ge">una@una.ge</a></p>