Diverse Georgia – Civil Society Platform for Cultural Diversity

“Diverse Georgia – Civil Society Platform for Cultural Diversity. Elaboration of a Package of the Non-Governmental Sector Recommendations Concerning the Implementation of the Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions”
2015

www.culturaldiversitygeorgia.com
Project is realized in the frames of the PARTICIPATION PROGRAMME, UNESCO

Project Goal:
Promotion of creative work and diversity of cultural expressions through raising awareness of the civil society and institutional development in the cultural sphere (in line with the Major Programme IV, Strategic Objective 8; Main Line of Action 2).

Project Objectives:
Conducting preparatory work for the implementation of the 2005 Paris Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions:

• Creation of a database of institutional and human resources;
• Creation of a platform of non-governmental organisations which will participate in the implementation of the Convention;
• Elaboration of a package of recommendations on the Convention implementation based on the results of roundtable and focus group discussions;
• Promotion of the Convention and UNESCO.

Project implementation:
I. Preparatory Stage

 Research to identify the platform participants – development of questionnaires, online distribution, processing
 Database creation

II. Fieldwork Stage

 Organisation of 11 working meetings in Tbilisi and the regions (Kutaisi, Batumi, Poti, Zugdidi, Telavi, Akhaltsikhe)
 Each meeting will consist of two sessions: the first session will involve presentation of the Convention and a roundtable, the second – an extended focus group discussion
 Website – creating online publication and newsletter, moderating blog posts

III. Analysis Stage

 Elaboration of the package of the civil society sector recommendations and the Convention implementation plan
 Development of methodology for including the recommendations into the context of the state cultural policy

Project results:
• Awareness about the obligations and responsibilities undertaken as a result of the ratification of the Convention will be raised among non-governmental organisations in Tbilisi and the regions. Promotion of the Convention’s articles and principles will generate stable interest towards the implementation within the nongovernmental sector as a means of protecting its own interests and promoting artistic expression. The visibility of UNESCO will increase.

• A “Diverse Georgia” platform will be created: a successful precedent will strengthen the pursuits on the path of institutional development of the cultural sphere, promote awareness raising among civil society and development of the cultural diversity.

• The package of recommendations will be submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia during the period of elaboration of the cultural policy strategy; the package of the civil society’s recommendations for the implementation of the 2005 Paris Convention will be an important supporting document for the state cultural policy, created through the cultural sphere coalition effort and a first intellectual product shared by the state.

Project partner organisations:
• Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia – the International Relations Department will curate the project, provide consultations and materials. Coordinated use of the project product – research results, statistics and Convention implementation plan – is envisaged in the process of the state cultural policy development.

• Europe House Georgia – in-kind contribution. Europe House Georgia is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation that was founded in July 2009 in Tbilisi. It aims to promote European values in Georgia and increase engagement with the broader international community through fostering people-to-people connections focusing upon civil dialogue, education and culture to enhance understanding and increase access to information with a target audience of Georgian youth as future potential community leaders.
• Regional partners – theatres and institutions under the Ministry of Culture

19 to 26 November 2015

Cooperation with International Confederation of Theater Unions & Chekhov International Theatre Festival

Festival of Young Theater Artists of CIS Countries, Baltic Countries and Georgia, 19 to 26 November 2015 in Minsk (Belorussia).

Participation of the representatives of Youth Section of YTA Union/ Georgian OISTAT National Center Nino Kitiya and Tamar Okhikyan at the Festival of Young Theater Artists of CIS Countries, Baltic Countries and Georgia, in Minsk (Belorussia).

Project Objective:
participation of the representative of the Georgian scenography school in the international exhibition, promotion of Georgian culture in the artists of former Soviet states.

The Expert Council of the prominent theatre figures from Russia (theatre critics, directors, set designers etc.) has chosen the most remarkable productions recently made by young directors from each country to be involved in the Project, to form a theatre program of the forthcoming II Forum.

Within its framework various activities for youngsters was also scheduled, such as: workshops on direction and dramatic theory, exhibitions of set designers’ works, panel discussions for theatre critics, etc.

The Forum was held from 19 to 26 November 2015 in Minsk (Belorussia).

Organizer – International Confederation of Theater Unions with the financial support of the Interstate Fund of Humanitarian Cooperation of CIS Countries