CALL for PARTICIPANTS: Study Visit for Georgians in Finland.

Academy for Peace and Development announces a CALL for PARTICIPANTS for the STUDY VISIT in FINLAND.

Study visit will take place between March 3 – 11 and aims to share the experience of Finnish NGOs in youth work and adapt and apply the best practices by participants in their countries. Representatives of NGOs, working with youth are eligible to apply. 

Venue: Suomenlinna, Metsäkartano youth centre, Hyvärilä Youth centre, Villa Elba youth centre.

Dates: 3rd – 11th March 2013

Countries participants: Finland, Belarus, Lithuania, GEORGIA

Working language: English

Costs: Project will be financed by the Youth in Action Programme. Accommodation, food and lodging costs will be covered by the Project organisers. For all selected Project participants 70% of travel costs within the dates of the project and 100% visa costs will be reimbursed.

Participation fee: 40 euro will be deducted from the reimbursement of visa and travel costs in order to cover local transportation.

How to apply: The completed application form, must be sent tsisana.popkhadze@gmail.com

Deadline: Tuesday, January 22, 18:00

PAPER: Georgian Dream or Nightmare? Transition of power poses great challenges for Georgia and its foreign relations (fiia.fi)

(fiia.fi) Published 29.10.2012

Teemu Sinkkonen

The Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Download PDF (3.21 Mb) - 9 pages

The victory of the Georgian Dream Coalition (GDC) over the United National Movement (UNM) has brought pluralism into Georgian policymaking.

Until the power shifts from the President to the Prime Minister in 2013, the country will be led by an awkward dual power. 

New leadership offers great opportunities for Georgia. It can improve its democratic system and economic growth and establish a dialogue with Russia and the breakaway districts of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This would alleviate the frozen conflict and tense security dilemma on the boundary lines. 

If the transition of power does not go well, there will be prolonged power struggles that could cripple the policymaking and cast Georgia back to pre-Saakashvili times.

Saakashvili’s UNM is still a very significant player in Georgian politics and it is important for the GDC and the UNM to find a way to cooperate.

In order to smooth the fragile transition period, Georgia needs special support and attention.