In the framework of the project "Improving Environment for Minority Integration in Georgia through Supporting Reforms in the School Education System" CIPDD launched a contest in the spring 2010 for the best methodology to organise and celebrate a Cultural Diversity Day in school. On the basis of the winner project, which was selected by the contest commission in January 2010, CIPDD prepared a guide for teachers and school administrations to help them arrange and carry out various interesting educational activities on Cultural Diversity Day and designed a respective poster. The guide and the poster will be distributed in schools for free.

On May 4 CIPDD and Pro NGO! (Germany) organized the Second Round Table on Shida Kartli. Aim of the meeting was to present the monitoring results and to discuss the situation in Shida Kartli, most urgent problems of the region and actions required in the short-term period.

On March 26 CIPDD organized a National Workshop in the framework of the project CIVICUS: Civil Society Research in Georgia. The NW aimed at building a common understanding of the current state of civil society and a joint action agenda for civil society strengthening initiatives: on how to generate an action agenda for civil society at the CSI National Workshop.

On January 28 CIPDD organized a round table meeting to discuss expectations of Georgia’s Civil Society towards the Eastern Partnership and new opportunities this initiative will provide to Georgia as one of the partner countries.

On January 27, 2010 CIPDD organized the Round table discussion to assess the situation in Shida Kartli after the August 2008 war, to identify most urgent problems of the region, and to find out what should be done there in the short term. On the meeting CIPDD presented the project Development of early warning system in conflict affected Shida Kartli region of Georgia (supported by the EC) and policy review Shida Kartli after the  August 2008 war: Challenges and Solutions by Erekle Urushadze, published with the financial support of the Thin Tank Fund of the Open Society Institute-Budapest.

The expected normalization in Turkish-Armenian relations may turn out to be the most momentous change in the security set-up of the South Caucasus since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Its results may even overshadow those of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war which did not lead to a substantive shift in the region’s geopolitics. Many within the Georgian expert community think that the impending Turkish-Armenian deal implies inherent dangers for Georgia’s economic and security interests. Can Georgian government influence the process of normalization? CIPDD organized a discussion on January 20, 2010 in order to discuss this issue and to assess implications for Georgia.

International conference “Intercultural Dialogue as a Mean of Advancing Civil Consciousness in the Black Sea Region. The Religious Dimension of Intercultural Education” was held in Tbilisi on December 22, 2009. The main objective of the conference, which was organised by the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD) and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), was to promote intercultural dialogue and raise public awareness of the importance of intercultural education for the Black Sea Region.

In the framework of the European Commission (Brussels) funded project Development of Early Warning System in Conflict Affected Shida Kartli Region of Georgia CIPDD started production of monthly reports on situation in Shida Kartli. Reports for October and November of 2009 are available here. The project will last until September August 2010.

Cohabitation of multicultural nations is a historical heritage for the countries located along the Black Sea. Multicultural environment, the existing reality is also a challenge for a democratic country. Georgia is a country which is very famous for its multicultural environment and it is very important today to reinforce pluralism, intercultural dialogue.The Caucasus Institute is pleased to announce an international conference Culture dialogue for promoting the civil consciousness in Black See Region. Religious dimension of the intercultural education  to be held on 22 December 2009 in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

On November 11 CIPDD organized the discussion about the quality assurance system in general education. Discussion was organized within the CIPDD’s project funded by the OSI TTF.