Debate at Europe House "Social Networks and Arab Spring"

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Dear All,

 

Europe House Georgia is pleased to invite you on extremely interesting debates and Lectures in the frame of
European Week in Tbilisi.

SATURDAY, 28 MAY


DEBATES at  16.00    
           
“Social Networks and the Arab Spring”


Speakers :      

Faraz Sanei (Iran & Bahrein researcher for HRW),     Mohamad Al Abdallah (Program officer, International Center For Journalists (USA) ; Syrian blogger /activist)   Nora Younis (web editor of Al Masry Al Youm ; Egyptian blogger/activist)   Lina Ben Mhenni (Tunisian blogger and activist)
Moderator: Alia Ibrahim (Middle East correspondent, The Washington Post; Senior correspondent, Al Arabiya)

Language: English

Venue: Europe House

(1, Freedom Square)

 

 

 

DEBATES at 18.00     

 

“Revolutions from East to South”

Speakers:

James Crabtree (Financial Times);    Denis MacShane, MP (UK);                                                    
Nacira Guénif
(Sociologist, Professor at University Paris-Nord, France)
Moderator: Marc Semo (Editor for foreign affairs, Libération)


Venue: Europe House

(1, Freedom Square)


SUNDAY, 29 MAY
DEBATES at 16.00

"The Rise of the New Diplomats"

Speakers:

Baratunde Thurston (Director of Digital, The Onion)
Mark Belinsky
(CEO and Founder of Digital Democracy)
Moderator: 
Felix Marquardt (Founding President of the Atlantic Dinners)

                                
Venue:  Georgian National Museum (1
, Purtseladze Street)

 

 


For more information about European Week in Tbilisi, Please visit

www.europeanweek.ge

 

 

 

Everybody can be famous for 15 seconds with Demian Herst

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How often conferences and round table start with the artistic performance of the participants. This year in Davos at the Philanthropic Roundtable organised by Victor Pinchuk Foundation I could make my own artistic creation. Denian Herst brought his spin machine to the participants to feel like they are contemporary art celebrities. 

The fun is that you never know how it will end up. 

See what is looks like! 

Why is the transportation cost in Tbilisi so high?

Tbilisi has been ranked as a 18 out of 300 having the highest transportation prices.

“Transport costs for public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance such as hire purchase / lease of vehicle, petrol / diesel, public transport service maintenance, tires, vehicle Insurance, and vehicle purchase is relatively more expensive compared to other cities with a rank of 18 out of 300, says xpatulator.com 

The most important component for calculation of transportation price is gasoline cost that is continuously rising in Georgia. Even today prices of each type of gasoline have increased by 0.05 GEL in all retail networks of Georgia. As the representative of “Lukoil” (one of the gasoline distributor in Georgia) explains, prices for gasoline both petrol and diesel were increased by 0.05 GEL and the average price for petrol is above 2.00 GEL per liter.

The reason as the companies declare is increase of overall gasoline price on the International market. But here is the question – why the decrease of gasoline price on international market never reflects Georgian price?- Economic analysts say the reason is the monopolization of Georgian market and lack of petty market players. Giorgi Kldiashvili, Director of the Georgian Institute for Development of Freedom of Information argues about the rising prices for gasoline. He raises the question of the lack of transparency of information: who are the owners of the gasoline and diesel importing companies, which groups or companies own shares in this business and if any conflicts of interest are given.

Prices for public transport have increased by 0,1 GEL recently. The rise is justified by continual increase of gasoline prices. On the other hand, head of transportation department of Georgia Mr. Akaki Jokhadze says, the average cost for transportation service by 2010 was 0,7 GEL. It seems like nobody pays real fee for the service: Tbilisi City Hall subsidies by 0,2 GEL each citizen using public transport. At the same time socially unprotected population pays only 0,2 GEL.  Tbilisi city hall does all the best to improve the service and implements reforms. The latest as people argue can become be reason for increase of pricing.

Consequently, prices for internal travelling within the country have increased by 30% in average.

Transportation prices in Georgia can be acceptable for tourists visiting country for a short period, but for the population with living wage of 150 GEL per month paying minimum 30 GEL for transporting in the city could be a heavy task.   

 

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Controversy over IDP resettlement in Tbilisi

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It is now the second day as the eviction process of the IDPs in Tbilisi continues. The issue has dominated the news both in Georgia and internationally. On January 20 in the morning the police blocked the territory of several IDPs’ collective centres in Tbilisi. According to Civil.ge the area around one of such temporary shelters in Bagebi neighbourhood was sealed off by the police from early hours on Thursday. A scuffle was reported with the police, when a group of supporters and relatives of those living in the building turned out at the site, trying to enter inside. 

The eviction process of IDPs from several state-owned buildings in Tbilisi has started in August of 2010. The process was criticized by local and international human rights groups. The Government has suspended it for several months. After Christmas holidays the process resumed. It steered again the debate about Georgian Government approach to handling this sensitive issue.  

 Yesterday’s relocation was a shock for many IDPs. They where confused about the process and anxious about their future. “They are moving me to one of the villages in Kakheti region, I do not know exactly where. Me and my kid, who at  school, will be all alone. I have no idea how I can deal with this,” - Elene Otinashvili, one of the IDPs told in the interview with Liberali on January 20.   

The Ministry for IDPs from Occupied Territories in its statements underlined that only those IDPs who have been given financial compensation where moved yesterday.  According to the Ministry the process of resentment is conducted in accordance to the state strategy and procedures worked out with the international institutions in the summer of 2010.   

The Ministry is also accusing the opposition for steering up the tension. The oposition leaders claim that the resettlment in the regions far from Tbilisi would leave IDPS without any source of income.  Conservative Party and Party of People backed up the refugees, calling for a mass protests outside the parliament on January 20.  

The Ombusman’s Office stated today that the housing in Samegrelo region, which was inspected in January 2011 has poor infrastructure with no pharmacies and schools and possibilities of employment are doubtful in this area.   

The key question remains open whether the resettlement was implemented in accordance with the Law of Georgia on IDPs. The law specifically states that the IDPs shall not be displaced unless a written agreement is reached with the IDP, respective space of future residence is available, and the IDP occupied the premises illegally in violation with the law.   

 As of today the UNHCR stated that they are closely monitoring the process but were reluctant to comment on it until it is completed. 
 

 

Coalition for European Georgia votes against Europe

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There have been some discussions around the Coalition for European Georgia, which was founded early this year. 
“We create a coalition for European Georgia to integrate our country in Nato and European family” – says the coalition's mission statement.

Questions arise about the actual goals of the coalition. Not talking about the fact, that Nato isn’t European organization, the goals, under which all the members of coalition (more than 50 NGOs) have signed, are pretty broad too, and not particularly European. 

 

“Democracy, freedom and tolerance”. 

Well! Gentlemen, you could have added “peace on earth” line to that list and you would be welcomed on Miss Universe contest. 

What makes this values exclusively European? Why can’t they be American, Mexican, or Australian?
And furthermore: as the “founding fathers” of the coalition state, anyone respecting those values are welcomed in coalition. Well, Euroskeptics respect the democracy, freedom and tolerance too. Do the members of coalition want them in a team to fight for European Georiga?

It appears – yes!

On 18th January, 2010, Coalition members elected 24 persons to be in the council of coalition. Lets have a look on some of them. For instance, Levan Ramishvili, which describes his political views as a neo-conservator. This is an excerpt from his article, named “Useful Idiots”: “We want our nation as an Israel of Caucasus. This dream will meet many difficulties. The more Georgia moves toward west, more it goes to US, more it will suffer from western leftists”. 

Its not a secret Prof. Levan Ramishvili is an Euroskeptic. He repeats it to his students on each and every of his seminars in Ilia State University. And its not a secret, that several other members of Council, are openly Euroskeptics too, such as Tamara Chergoleishvili, Editor in Chief of Libertarian Magazine Tabula. Tabula doesn’t miss a chance to criticize west European countries and their welfare-state policy. 

Why the Euroskeptics run the Coalition for European Georgia? What Coalition for European Georgia sees as a core European values? Questions remain unanswered. 

Church and mosque reconstruction - should be a deal be struck with Turkey?

Church and mosque reconstruction – should be a deal be struck with Turkey?

Talks are taking place between Georgia and Turkey about the renewal of ancient sites, but it appears that obstacles still stand in the way.

Opposition between the Georgian State and Georgian Orthodox Church that started around the ancient Churches that are today on the Turkish territory is not new. The issue arose first three years ago and negotiation with the Turkish State about reconstruction of 4 ancient Georgian Churches have stopped upon the insistence of Patriarchy.  The Georgian Patriarchy sais, that monuments as Oshki, Khanzta, Otkhta and Ishkani could have been restored by UNESCO as well, as they all are part of UNESCO world heritage and the negotiations had to be implemented in this direction.

 Recently, the Director of National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation has announced, that in the exchange of reconstructing four ancient Georgian Churches on the Territory of Turkey, rehabilitation of 3 Mosques and reconstruction of a new one in Georgia is planned.

The Patriarch and the Georgian Church opposes this idea, and says, that in case this decision is taken by the Georgian State without consulting the Church and without their final approval, it will have very negative long-lasting effect on the country.  The Church insists, that if reconstructed, the Churches should not be regarded not only as architectural monuments, but they should be become active; only on this terms, will the Georgian Church agree to the construction of Mosque in Batumi, but not on the central square, as initially requested by the Turkish government.

Even though, the Turkish government says, that the newly constructed Mosque will not be active but be only a Museum, part of the society fears, that the so called museum will be just a trick and instead, it will soon grow into a powerful propaganda centre for Islam and threat to Orthodox and Georgian interests in a region, bordering Turkey which already had an experience of 300 year Turkish rule. 

Images below from:

www.traveling.ge

 

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Georgians faces problems Obtaining visas for UK and Eire

The United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark aren’t part of visa facilitation with Georgia,which will enter into force on March1 2011.They doesn’t participate in readmission agreement.

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The visa facilitation agreement will simplify procedures for obtaining Schengen visas for 25 European countries. The visa facilitation agreement aims at making it easier for Georgian citizens, in particular those who travel most, to acquire short term visas for the EU, by providing a reduced visa fee of 35 instead of 60 Euros for all Georgian citizens and a total exemption from the visa fee for certain categories of applicants, including children below the age of 12, pensioners, disabled persons, students, close relatives and representatives of civil society organizations. For 11 categories of Georgian residents is considered 1year long multiple visa, if  they got one last year and used without breaking any laws. The holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from the visa obligation while the agreement obliges the Consulates to take a decision within 10 days on whether or not to issue a visa.


What was facilitated in reality it’s under question- just prices and time of getting visa? For the people mentioned in the categories was anyway not big problem to get visas.

IDP removal in Vake goes suprisingly peacefully

Settle in and settle out (it is part of the training exercise)

Early morning January 21 up to 100 policemen mobilized around the old building of Academy of Arts enamel workshops. IDPs from Abkhazia have been forced to leave the property. The process started without any kind of mess or sound protesting. 12  trucks and 3 buses were parked at the small square nearby the property. The building has been occupied by IDPs at night of August 14, 2008. Many living around though that they were from South Ossetia region fleeing the war there. But day after I realised that actually they were so-called "old" IDP from Abkhazia used the situation and moved into the building with all their furniture and other belongings. They were not stressed or mis-oriented as those run from South Ossetia couple of days before. 

Days after Danish Refugee Council brought blankets and pillows, and some other household stuff to them. Actually they didn't need them and stored them in one room.  Later they made some kind of small kitchen gardens around the building. 

So what is the reason why such painful process went so peacefully?

http://www.interpressnews.ge/ge/sazogadoeba/157089-yifshidzis-34-idan-kodoris-kheobidan-devnilebs-asakhleben.html

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Smile In Georgian corporate world

Media_httpwwwruggedel_jthku

Smile as marketing tool is relatively new in Georgia and it is not a frequent occasion.

In Soviet times, there were very few shops and they had guaranteed customers, so there was no need to smile much to make the customers come back. Today, little by little you see smiles in Georgian banks, cafés and sometimes even in shops.

Media_httpwwwdiggerhi_cfhfz

There is still something else that stops Georgian people at customer service to flash a corporate fake smile. One can attribute it to a very troubled history of the country with several wars, or because Georgians are too honest and can’t fake.

Several years ago, I entered  one of the fast-food restaurants in USA, where smile was free,  of course  I was welcomed by a girl with a wide fake smile. I asked her, if she was smiling to me because she wanted, or because she had to, she honestly answered with exact same fake smile: “I am smiling because I have to”

It was surprising for Georgians to see the smiles in the shops, when they had not created much reasons for It to appear, at first it created fear and skepticism, but then they took  it for granted that in the corporate world those reasons are hiding in peoples wallets, so the wider the wallet is the wider is the smile on both sides of the counter.

Research by Hayward University confirms that the bigger the employees' smiles, the happier the customers.  (Harvard Business Review 2007: A Year of Management Ideas)
Welcoming smile may create closeness as well as distance at the same time, but there is one simple rule: smile sells well and customers prefer fake smile, rather than honest boredom.

 

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Georgian parenting fail - slaves for free

Georgian parents are growing personal slaves, not kids.

დღეს სამსახურში მარშუტკით მოვედი. არაფერი გასაოცარი ამაში არაა, რადგან ყოველდღე, შაბათ-კვირის გარდა ვჯდები ერთსა და იმავე მარშუტკაში და სამსახურისკენ მოვემართები. ის, რაც იქ ხდება, არც ეგაა უჩვეულო. პირველ 10 წუთი მძღოლი ჩამქვრალი ძრავით მოგორავს და ელოდება, როდის აიკრიფება მაქსიმალურად ბევრი ხალხი. როდესაც სალონი სანახევროდ სავსეა, ხოლო ჩემი მოთმინების ფიალა – მთლიანად, მძღოლი ძრავს ქოქავს და სისწრაფეს უმატებს.

აი ახლაც, შეუხვია ნუცუბიძის ქუჩაზე, აკრიფა სისწრაფე და მკვეთრად დაამუხრუჭა. დედა და შვილი ამოვიდა. კარი დახურული არ იყო, რომ პირველი ბრძანებაც გაისმა – ”მანდ არ დაჯდე!”. დედამ ნახევრადცარიელი მარშუტკის წინა სკამზე მოიკალათა და ბავშვი კალთაში ჩაისვა. მანქანა მზის გულზე მისეირნობდა და იმ ერთადერთი ფანჯრიანი ადგილის გარდა, სადაც მე ვიჯექი, სკამებს ბოლი ასდიოდა. ”საწყალი ბავშვი” გავიფიქრე და ძრავის მონოტონური ღუღუნი შეკივლებამ გაფატრა – ”ნუ იდებ პირში თითს!”. მოულოდნელობისგან შევხტი. შეხტა მძღოლიც, მაგრამ საბედნიეროდ ამ დროს გზის მოპირდაპირე მხრიდან არავინ მოდიოდა, ასე რომ გადავრჩით. ბავშვმა პროტესტის გამოხატვა სცადა, მცხელაო, მაგრამ მისი ხმა დარჩა ხმად მღაღადებლისა… მოკლედ, როგორცაა რა.

ცოტა ხანში მეორე წყვილი გამოჩნდა, ბებია და პატარა გოგო. მართალია ბებიას თავის საყვარელი და ფუმფულა შვილიშვილი კალთაში არ ჩაუსვამს, მაგრამ მთელი გზა მკლავზეხელშემოჭერილი ეჯდა გვერდზე, ემანდ ზედმეტი მოძრაობა არ გააკეთოს, არ გაიოფლოს და არ გაცივდესო.

მეგობრებო, რა არის ეს? რას გავს აღზრდის ეს მეთოდი? ვინ გაიზრდება ასე? მართალია, სწორედაც რომ ადამიანები, რომლებსაც არც დამოუკიდებლობა გააჩნიათ და არც გარემოს ადეკვატური აღქმა. მშობლებზე და ბებიებზე მიბმული ადამიანები, რომლებიც მას შემდეგ, რაც მიაღწევენ ”დამოუკიდებელ ასაკს”, ანუ ასაკს, როდესაც კანონის თანახმად მათ შეიძლება დამოუკიდებელი ადამიანები ეწოდოთ, არც მზად არიან და საერთოდ ვერც ხვდებიან, რატომ უნდა გააკეთონ ის, რასაც ყველა ცხოველი თუ ფრინველი აკეთებს – აფრინდნენ ბუდიდან. მეტიც, ვინც ხვდება ამას, ანუ ვიზეც ამხელა გავლენა არ მოუხდენია მუდამ ბებიის, დედის, მამის, ბიძის და 86454 სხვა ნათესავის კალთაზე გამობმულად გაზრდას, მასაც არ გამოსდის აფრენა. ან გამბედაობა არ ყოფნის, ან ”დედა ეცოდება” – უჩემოდ როგორ გაძლებს, საწყალი. მათგან იზრდებიან გოგოები, რომლებიც სახლში 9-ზე გვიან არ უნდა მივიდნენ, ბიჭები, რომლებსაც მამის ფულით ნაყიდი ჯიპი ბუნებრივი მოვლენა ჰგონიათ და ხალხი, რომელიც სულიერად არის იმპოტენტი.

იმის იმედი კი, რომ შემდეგი თაობა სხვანაირ პირობებში გაიზრდება და იმის შემდეგ თაობას კიდევ უფრო დამოუკიდებელს გაზრდის, დიდად არც მაქვს. როგორ შეიძლება, რომ მონად გაზრდილმა თავისუფალი ადამიანი გაზარდოს? ერთადერთი გაუცნობიერებელი გამოვლენა იმისა, რომ შვილს მიაჩვიო დამოუკიდებლობა, არის ”მიდი, მამიკო, ლუდი ამომირბენინე და ხურდა შენთვის დაიტოვე”  - იმუშავე და ფული გექნებას საწყისი, ჩანასახოვანი სტადია. თუმცა ესეც გაუაზრებელი, არაფრისმქმნელი და სხვა, მონური მეთოდებით დათრგუნული. საწყალი ჩვენი და ჩვენს შემდეგი თაობა.

პ.ს. ეს ბოლო ხანებია ვამუშავებ ერთ პატარა თეორიას, რომელიც განხორციელების შემთხვევაში ყველაფერს შეცვლის. საჭიროა ერთი 200,000 ჩვილის მოპარვა ან სხვა მეთოდით შოვნა, მათი წაყვანა უკაცრიელ კუნძულზე და სწორად, დამოუკიდებელ ადამიანებად აღზრდა. შემდეგ ეს ჩვილები როდესაც გახდებიან 15 წლის, უნდა ჩამოასახლო უკან, საქართველოში და დაე მათ მაინც შეცვალონ რამე. სხვანაირად ჩვენი საშველი არაა.

Source: BigCrow.ge - slaves