On June 2nd, 2021, USAID’s Promoting Integration, Tolerance, and Awareness (PITA) program, implemented by the UN Association of Georgia has been concluded with the Closeout Event, highlighting Program’s achievements throughout its six years of lifetime, including:

[1] Supporting the Government of Georgia with development and implementation of the national integration strategy and action plan for 2015 - 2020 and development of a new strategy for 2021 – 2030

[2] Supporting the Public Defender (PDO), Tolerance Center, Council of National Minorities (CNM) and of Religions (CR) for continued capacity building of minority communities, increased quality and incidence of their participation, and improved protection of ethnic and religious minority rights

[3] Advancing CSO capacities in countering disinformation, managing advocacy, youth work, sustainability, as over 150 CSOs collaborated with PITA through grants opportunities, coalitions, youth centers, monitoring activities, mobile tasks forces and other inventive solutions deployed by the Program

[4] Engaging PITA’S 5,000 youth members in civic activism, who are breaking down the barriers that used to divide them, while building together a more resilient, open, fair, and inclusive Georgia that unites all.

The Event included two panel discussions, engaging the Program partner organizations and young leaders.

US Ambassador to Georgia Degnan gave opening remarks at the event, stressing the importance of continued efforts toward civic integration: “All of the development gains that Georgia has made - and all that it will achieve in the future - depend on the active engagement of all of the country’s citizens, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or other identity.”

The event has been attended by the program counterparts and partners, representatives of the USAID, GoG, Public Defender of Georgia, members of the CNM and CR, program partner NGOs from the regions, and young leaders.