Municipality Event 1 

Drafter: Ekaterine Labadze- Municipality Events Manager 
Seminar/Workshop: 
Title of Seminar/Workshop: «International cooperation in the field of Education and Science»
Date:  15 May, 2010
Location: Telavi, Iakob GogebaSvili Telavi State University (1, Kartuli University Str,)
Length: 3 hours
Topics elaborated: The discussion focused on modern practice in education, strategic planning, public, international relations and the cooperation of  Telavi State University into Higher education .
Total number of  speakers: 3

• Mrs.   Marina Javakhishvili
  Head of International Relations office, Telavi State University

• Mrs.   Nino Modebadze
  Associate Professor, Representative of  the Center  For University Development,  Telavi  State University

• Mr. Nika Nibladze
  Participant of Erasmus Mundus Study Exchange Project   
  

Description of the event: Ekaterine Labadze, Municipality Events Manager of the AC GE welcomed the participants.  She introduced CABIR Project and the AC GE current activities in the  Human Rights field, the activities of the AC-Georgia and introduced the guest speakers. She thanked the representatives of the Telavi State University for the fruitful cooperation.
Mrs. Marina Javakhishvili spoke about the history of the university: Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi state university.  It has its roots in the philosophy school founded by Erekle II in 1758. It functions since 1924 as an educational institution.  It is the only centre for Higher Education in Kakheti, up to now. It has been functioning as a higher pedagogical schooling institution since 1939 and as a multi-profile university since 2001. Telavi State University is situated in a pleasant climatic, geographic and social-cultural environment and is equipped with a modern constantly renewed technical equipment.
Higher education is very important in Georgia. Regarding the 1Bologna Process, Georgia  signed the Bergen Declaration in 2005 and  officially adopted its modalities in the higher education system. However, the  Georgian law on higher education (2004) was designed already with the aim to mirror Georgian higher education system into the European one. Hence, there is a favourable legal environmental that supports reforms at the university level. However, on an operational level a lot still needs to be done for implementing the Bologna Process. It can be said that in Georgia Telavi State university is a forerunner in reforms’ implementation, (Telavi is the only higher education institute in Kakheti region). She said that Telavi State University sees itself as a valuable contribution - in the cluster of three units- government, business, and university – for the strategy of economical development of Kakheti region and Georgia as whole.  Universities should not only educate but also high standard scientific research institutions to satisfy the market needs. Telavi is considered to have the potential to become a very well reputed university town in eastern Georgia.
She also mentioned that TESAU already established several partnerships with EU universities and was able to devote small investments in updating its facilities. Mechanisms systems were established at the university to promote the development of Georgian and World culture values, to implement new teaching methods, to develop new evaluation mechanisms, to provide training on higher education reforms to teaching staff, university management and administration, increased the transparency of the university.  She gave an overview aboutmost of the ongoing projects related to international relations: A bilateral Cooperation Agreement was signed between Telavi and Gavar State Universities (Armenia). The project aims to organize studies in the fields of "Social Work" and "Social Management" in cooperation with Religion and Society Social Work and Social Management International Professional University of Germany. A bilateral Cooperation Agreement was signed between Tuscia (Viterbo, Italy) and Telavi State Universities.  It foresees to work on joint programs and exchange of academic staff and students, A bilateral cooperation memorandum was signed also with the faculties of Agriculture and Informatics of the German Heilbronn University, A consortium was formed with European Universities to adhere to the EC TEMPUS project (UM-JEP-27.232-2006/GE).  Together with Telavi State University, European partners of the consortium are: HAN University (The Netherlands), Grenoble-II (France), Marburg University (Germany), Academic Training Association-SPARK (The Netherlands). Invited experts are: Professors from Lancaster University (UK) and Toulouse University (France). Telavi State University was a partner in the EC Erasmus Mundus project (EM ECW Lot5"). Others European partners are: Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki (Greece), University of Angers (France), High Education Institute of Rezekne (Latvia), University of Rousse (Bulgaria), University of Tuscia (Italy), Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (Portugal), University of Has Den Bosch (Netherlands). Business and Management studies are being arranged in cooperation with the Institute of Building and Managing Real Estate, Biberach University.
Mrs. Javakhishvili has very ambitious plans for the university and considers that the main goal of the university is to value , respect and build on the traditions to educate younger people in the framework of regional priorities.  On behalf of the International Relations office she took significant steps to make Telavi one renown university  in the Caucasus.
Mrs. Nino Modebadze informed that the university’s graduates for years successfully were employed in different spheres not only in the region, but in the whole of Georgia. Given the region’s specificity TESAU has a unique opportunity to develop agricultural sciences (especially viticulture-wine making), tourism and Caucasian studies.
She introduced the audience the university Strategic Development Plan, particularly:

• University mission and values;
• University vision;
• University main strategic goals, tasks and ways to implement those: effective implementation of international standards, tree-stage programs in compliance with the Bologna process requirements, introduction of a continuous educational system at the university, improvement of educational and social infrastructure;
• Improving the educational and social infrastructure: modernizing  Telavi’s University computer centres with equipment in compliance with  modern standards; Equipping the library with actual material-technical facilities;

Mrs. Modebadze underlined that all strategic goals of the university are implemented by the effective administrative work of the university management, which aims  at the following objectives :

• Decentralization of administrative procedures and decisions;
• Continuous monitoring and improvement of the quality of teaching,  learning, and research activities;
• Effective financial-budgetary management ;

   The speaker informed that students and teachers are very pleased with the improvements made.  She believes that developing activities will continue intensively in the future.

  Mr. Nika Nibladze emphasized that the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window (EMECW) is designed to foster co-operation in the field of high education between  European Union and Third-countries through a mobility scheme addressing student and academic exchanges. He provided a clear scheme of the several objectives  of EMECW: in example: to strengthen the relations between European and non-European Higher Education facilities, as well as to contribute to international training of students, teachers and academic staff. He noted that the project enhanced the understanding (linguistically, culturally, socially and educationally) and the international cooperation capacity in the field of science, education and culture. The speaker added that the project aims to bridg some of the gaps that may threaten relations between EU and not EU countries, and to promote social, economic and political stability and to assist integration and exploitation of New Technologies and the Bologna process in the theuniversities. This project helped Mr. Nika to transfer of the know-how and good practices of the European partners in the Telavi State University.
Most relevant questions/answers:
This workshop was very productive and fruitful. It was envisaged to hold further seminars in the future. It was very significant to establish relations between the TESAU and  CABIR project.  The participants addressed a lot of questions to the speakers about different aspects of their professional activities: With the relations for international sphere what are the concreted improvement and changes for the University? The role of local authorities with development of the TESAU?
The Centre for University Development (GUD) was established and the Quality Assurance System for teaching and learning was created at TESAU for teaching staff. Through these trainings was gained knowledge and skills in international teaching systems, and the University Strategic Development Plan was designed as well as the mechanisms for budgeting and monitoring it.
Education plays an important and often central role for many economies. The Rector of  TESAU is as the same time  member of  Telavi Municipality, he is a central figure and guarantees development in the education sphere . He personally takes actively part in the project of civil education with local municipality and university resources.  He  is contributing to develop the main directions of Georgian upper education.      Total number of participants: 52
Alumni: 7
Government officials: 12
Academic Institutions: 27
NGO: 6 

Municipality Event 2

Drafter: Ekaterine Labadze- Municipality Events Manager
Title of Seminar/Workshop:  «Good Governance Begins Locally»
Date:  26 September, 2010
Location: Sagarejo, Municipality of Sagarejo (9, Davit Agmashenebeli Str,)
Length: 3 hours
Topics elaborated: The discussion focused on regional development strategy, regional economic growth, plans for future economy improvement and the wellbeing of its population.
Total number of  speakers: 2

• Mrs.   Lali Maxaroblishvili - Head of Economic Department of Sagarejo Municipality

• Mrs.   Sopo Mandzulashvili - Head of the Department of Relations with International Organizations

Description of the event: Ekaterine Labadze, Municipality Events Manager of the AC GE welcomed the participants.  She introduced CABIR Project, the activities of the AC-Georgia, and  the guest speakers. She thanked the representatives of the Sagarejo Municipality for the fruitful cooperation.
Mrs. Lali Maxaroblishvili spoke about  the history of Sagarejo region: which is  historically known as ,,Gare Kakheti’’.  It is located in the eastern part of Georgia. The municipality is bordered by the municipality of Gurjaani, Gardabani an Tianeti from East, West and North correspondingly, whereas in the south borders Azerbaijan. The municipality main city is Sagarejo, located 45 km eastwards from the Capital Tbilisi. The city is 772 meter above the see level. The municipality territory is 1553.69km2. The population is 60,396. Sagarejo municipality hosts a diverse population. It consists of Georgians, Azeri, Armenians, Ukrainians, Ossetians, Greeks, Qists, ect.  She mentioned that Kakheti is one of the most outstanding regions of Georgia due to its economic potential. The diversity of climatic conditions has defined the agricultural profile of the region.  In particular, the region is  specialized  in viticulture and wine production , and it has a  well developed food industry.  She spoke about the region strengths (large population, advantageous location of settlements, large size of villages, cheap labor  force, industrious population, high level of basic education; weaknesses (high level of structural unemployment, low degree of adaptation to modern market conditions, lack of qualifications, an ageing population trend, migration, low level of urbanizations); and opportunities (a large and cheap workforce that can be mobilized in case  new sectors are developed , government-funded infrastructure projects, growth of private investment, potential growth of prices for the region’s products); as well as threats (insufficient investment, limited opportunities for developing skills, lack of management skills, increased migration from the region, inflation and other macro-economic shocks). She added that the economy of Sagarejo Region heavily depends on agricultural production and on processing industry, which employ 82 percent of the labor force.  Other sectors of the economy –industry, trade, transport, construction and tourism- have a limited impact on  the economy  of the region. If the processing industry does not expand, and the fuel and food commodities’ price increases the region’s population will face aggravated poverty . Development  projects are implemented in the region, particularly:  in 2010  the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia funded the project for the rehabilitation of  Sagarejo water supply and sewerage system. Under the regional and municipal infrastructure development project MDF was financed the Rehabilitation of Satave, Baratashvili, Mamisashvili, Tskhvedadze, Gamarjvebis, Bauja Kvivides, Leselizde, Ketevan Tsamebuli and Guliashvili Streets, Town Sagarejo.  Through the same financial source were also   rehabilitated the    Tokhliauri village central road and Saint Nino Monastery road in the village of Ninotsminda. In 2010 the UN Food Program developed an irrigation  project for  Sagarejo district;  in 2009 was financed the rehabilitation of  drinking water systems in the villages of: Kakabeti, Tskarostavi, Khasmi, Bogdanovka, Toxliauri, Ninotsminda, Duzagrama, Shibliani, verkhviani; in 2010 was  built  a new clinic with  the support of the MERLIN  PROGRAM, The authorities of the Municipality have very ambitious plans for the Region. The government took significant steps to improve the touristic infrastructure. Sagarejo municipality has invested with donor organization in road, potable water supply system reconstruction and infrastructure rehabilitation works. The speaker informed that the residents of  Sagarejo, young and elderly, are very pleased with the improvements made.  He believes that rehabilitation activities will continue intensively in the region in the future.
Mrs. Sopo Mandzulashvili noted that tourism revitalization in the entire country has sparked tourism in Kakheti too.  Kakheti certainly has some advantages for attracting both local and international tourists, as it has  many historical monuments, as well as the  potential to  develop the wine tourism. She underlined that the wine tourism has recently become popular.  However, the region has the lowest gross and per capita number of hotels and restaurants because of its  limited experience in the hospitality sector, and lacks  knowledge in dealing with  tourism in a  business like manner, very limited  qualified personnel, underdeveloped tourism infrastructure.  It was also noted that Georgia is far  from the developed countries, and there is limited information on Georgia and Kakheti abroad. .
She emphasised that under the in 2009 Millennium Challenge Georgia Agribusiness development Activity financed  the centre, the building of the centre was renovated and equipped with modern commodities , a product distribution vehicle purchased, environmental measures undertaken and marketing and training costs covered, it is providing local farmers with veterinary and plant protection inputs, machinery  as well as small-size modern equipment, qualified training in agriculture and consultation. She spoke about the good relation with the Japanese Embassy and the grant received from the Japanese government   - Human Grant Assistance program.  –  in 2009, these funds were used to reconstruct  a nursery school in  Patara Chailuri village,
She summarized the meeting and highlighted the most critical priorities that could be resolved by the municipality of Sagarejo:

• Setting up food processing enterprises- processing fruits and vegetables; setting up milk collection centres and cheese and butter production plants; ensuring accessibility of financial resources (low interest rate and subsidized loans, grants) for small entrepreneurs.
• Supporting agriculture development – supporting the vine sectors, organizing, agricultural  services, facilitating cooperation among farmers , providing support to the animal husbandry sector (breed improvement, feed production, veterinary services).
• Improving the provision of drinking water to the population – improving the quality of infrastructure, installing new water supply networks and water quality control;
• Developing tourism – improving the tourism infrastructure - sanitary points, local roads,  the quality of tourist services;  supporting professional education and ensuring preservation and protection of cultural and historical monuments.
• Collecting garbage and managing waste: conducting a feasibility study to set up garbage collection plants, as well as  various alternatives for garbage collection and managements.

      Most relevant questions/answers:
        This workshop was very productive and fruitful. The participants addressed a lot of questions to the speakers about different aspects of their professional activities:  What is  the vision for Kakheti region development in 2011- 2014? What would you say about the legal basis for regional strategy development? What are the main threats for the wine sector in the region?
Kakheti Region will become a  region of wine,   and an interesting and attractive region for international and domestic investors, supported by  proper hospitality infrastructure –hotels, restaurants, networks of café-bars, tour operators, and will host  regional and international events.
Georgia lacks a comprehensive legislation for regional development largely because the status of the regions as  administrative-territorial units has not yet been defined. Regionalization of the country is jeopardized by the Georgian Constitution, Article 2(3), which allows the parliament to decide on the territorial arrangement only after the restoration of the country.
Global economic crisis, inflation, climate change in Kakheti due to global warming, the wine price increase that reduces competitiveness  are the main threats to  the wine sector’s development.
Total number of participants: 33 Alumni: 9
Government officials: 13
Academic Institutions: 5
Diplomatic Missions: 2
NGO: 4

Municipality Event 3
Drafter: Ekaterine Labadze- Municipality Events Manager
Seminar/Workshop:
Title of Seminar/Workshop:  «International Cooperation and Main Priorities of Economic Development of Shida Khartli Region »
Date:  23 October, 2010
Location: Gori, Municipality of Gori (16, Stalini, str.)
Length: 3 hours
Topics elaborated: The discussion focused on international projects in Shida Khartli, on regional development strategies, regional economic growth, plans for future economic improvement and the wellbeing of its population.  
Total number of  speakers: 2

• Mrs.   Eka Japiashvili - Head of International Relations Department of Gori Municipality

• Mrs.   Nino  Mdzinarashvili - Board Director of the Institute for Regional Development-Shida kartli (IRD-SK)
  

Description of the event: Ekaterine Labadze, Municipality Events Manager of the AC GE welcomed the participants.  She introduced the CABIR project, the activities of the AC-Georgia, and the guest speakers. She thanked the representatives of the Gori Municipality and of the international and regional organizations and especially Mr. Zviad Khmaladze, the chairman of the Gori Municipality Council for the fruitful cooperation.
Mr. Zviad Khmaladze, the chairman of the Gori Municipality Council welcomed the participants and thanked the AC GE for dedicating this event to the Gori municipality and noted that this kind of meeting is extremely important for the establishment of collaboration between the public sphere and the international and regional organizations to develop the priorities and the plans of the Gori municipality. Mr. Zviad also presented his vision: Gori municipality is a strong administrative and cultural centre of Georgia, which has the capacity to become attractive in the immediate future with developed infrastructure, roads, communications, new job opportunities, cultural centres and traditions, new industries, investment in tourism and agriculture, excellent education level of the population, affordable medical services, cultural centres and strong financial and economic conditions.
Mrs. Eka Japiashvili continued the meeting and spoke about the history of the Gori region: Gori Municipality (1 375,9 Km²) is located in the heart of the historical province of  Shida (Inner) Kartli. It borders Kaspi to the east, Tsalka and Borjomi to the south, Kareli to the west and the so-called South Ossetia, namely the Kornisi, Tskhinvali and Akhalgori districts, to the north. This part of Georgia has always had a strategic importance. It is where main Transcaucasian railway lines and highways connecting east and west Georgia and a motorway leading to the north run. The Gori Municipality comprises one city and 132 villages. Most of the villages in the region have existed since early times, only a few of them emerged later in the areas adjacent to industrial sites. The Gori Municipality has 314 000 inhabitants (65 people /km²). The core of the population is made up of Georgians (78%); ethnic Ossetians make 13% and the population of other nationalities (Russians, Armenians) 9%. Centuries old strong neighborly ties led to an assimilation and emergence of a large number of mixed Georgian- Ossetian families. The majority of non-Georgian population fluently speaks Georgian, an official language. Some ethnic Georgians understand or even speak Ossetian. She added that there is a high cultural and economical potential in the region. Its development and extension is a significant strategic task not only for the villages or settlements but generally for the region as well. This is a complex and multicomponent issue and different institutions are to be involved. There are many problems that need to be addressed. Urgent actions need to be taken and a long term plan of complete revitalization of the region needs to be developed. The economic situation was hard for many years and became even harder after the August war in 2008. The tense political situation resulted in displacement of the local population from the villages. Many families lost their houses. In addition to this, high unemployment, worsening of economic situation, degradation of the village life etc, made the life impossible. Naturally, this had a serious impact on the villages of the region. This tendency needs to be reversed, otherwise it can lead to a social catastrophe and will negatively impact the development process of the country. It is extremely important to plan rehabilitation activities properly in stages, that will support general improvement of living conditions of the local population and the region as well. Priority is to be given to urgent issues that need correspondingly immediate intervention by international organizations and local governments with whose help it will become possible to use the potential existing in the region. In this regard, the following development projects are implemented in the region:
1) Education and cognitive development project for children. In 2009, UNICEF and the Council of Europe Development Bank established the new Children and Youth’s Centre in Gori and provided financial, technical assistance and essential supplies to the Centre, including a special minibus to ensure children’s safe transportation;
2) In 2008, World Vision in coordination with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Georgian Ministry of Finance sent 10-day food supplies to 1,000 people in Gori, as part of the first humanitarian aid convoy to reach the affected people after almost a week of no external assistance;
3) UNDP has been involved in the rehabilitation of social infrastructures of the territories affected by the Georgian-Ossetian conflict since 1997.  By the end of 2008 UNDP has provided seeds, plowing and other services to enable 1,100 farming families to sow winter wheat crops, thus restoring a vital source of income. UNDP also supported the creation of a regional Gender Equality Resource Center in Gori. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) continues to help local authorities restore livelihoods, repair infrastructure, and provide basic social services. In Shida-Kartli, UNDP initiatives have benefited some 10,000 people by rehabilitating 12 critical facilities, including school buildings and municipal offices, and repairing drainage and water pipes. At the same time, in an effort to provide skills to those left jobless by the conflict, UNDP has worked with the University of Gori to design and deliver short training courses in masonry, painting, plumbing, and other construction trades. In the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, UNDP participates in The European Union (EU)-funded programme to improve electricity, gas and water supplies to the local residents, as well as restore school buildings and bridges. With a EUR 4.4 million contribution from the European Union, the UN Development Programme implements an 18-month initiative in Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Samegrelo - the regions of Georgia affected by the crises in August 2009. The initiative consisted of three components: 1. Building Vocational Education and Training Capacities in the Shida Kartli Region, 2. Rehabilitating Small and Medium Sized Infrastructure in the Shida Kartli Region and 3. Increasing Access to Finance for the Micro Businesses in the Conflict Affected Regions.
4) In 2010 the Charitable Foundation “Caritas Georgia” rehabilitated Kindergarten in the village of Plavi in Gori district and constructed the new Kindergarten in Tsmindatskali district of town Gori for the inhabitants of IDP-settlement named Karaleti.
5) In2008 CARE International in the Caucasus has extended its humanitarian activities in Gori and has opened an office in the city center to facilitate work in the conflict affected villages in the east of Georgia. CARE has been distributing food rations and hygiene kits for about 2 500 beneficiaries of Rekha and Sveneti .
The authorities of the Municipality have very ambitious plans for the region. The government took significant steps to improve the touristic infrastructure. The Gori municipality has invested with donor organizations in roads, potable water supply system reconstruction and infrastructure rehabilitation works. The speaker informed that the residents of Shida Khartli, young and elderly people, were very pleased with the improvements. She believes that rehabilitation activities will continue intensively in the region in the future.
Mrs. Nino Mdzinarashvili marked that International Relief and Development’s (IRD) economic development programs have strengthened the capacity and economic resiliency of individuals and communities to protect lives, respond to recurring disasters, and strengthen human capital investment. Since 1999, IRD’s economic development sector has addressed some of the most difficult issues facing small- and medium-scale retail, industrial, and agricultural entrepreneurs in vulnerable communities throughout the world. The organization has taken on the challenge of working in some of the most complex and difficult places around the world, thus becoming a specialist in working in conflict and post-conflict environments. The programs are aimed at improving the quality of life of vulnerable groups, including displaced persons, refugees, and others. Together with local communities, they  operate programs to expand healthcare, increase economic opportunities, rebuild infrastructures damaged by conflict or neglected, and accelerate agricultural development, as well as responding to emergency needs. All sectors of their work support citizen engagement in issues of access to economic, health, infrastructure, and social resources and services.
She noted that the agriculture in Gori is well developed. The Shida Kartli region is famous for its fruits and vegetables, especially apples and peaches. Fruits in Gori are of high quality, and are distinguished by their aroma and the high content of sugar. These fruits can be stored for long periods and easily bear transportation. The rural population of Gori Municipality is characterized by a high level of rural migration, which can be explained by socio-economic and political processes unfolding in recent years, as well as problems associated with selling agricultural products (market restriction), inadequate reimbursement of labour and high material expenses for farming. To this are added grave living conditions and low quality of services in rural areas. Most of the migrants looking for jobs find employment in the administrative centre of the municipality of Gori. They find working in Gori more convenient because of its closeness to the village. Working in Gori enables a migrant to maintain the connection with a village (return to the village after work) and have a job in a desirable environment.
She underlined that the majority of families affected by the armed conflict in Georgia in August 2008 depended on agriculture for their livelihoods. Farming households suffered significant losses resulting from displacement, looting and destruction. This period coincided with the summer harvest, which led many farming families to loose nearly all of their summer crops. The conflict also caused a severe reduction in the availability and quality of livestock feed when animals were at their peak of production and heavily dependent on grazing and pasture. Because of their debilitated state, livestock became at heightened risk of animal diseases.
After the August 2008 conflict with Russia, many Georgian families who had been expelled from their homes are finding it difficult to restart their lives after they return. Unemployment was high, and they often didn’t have the resources to buy the seeds, fertilizer, or tools necessary to farm. In response to this situation and with funding from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, International Relief & Development (IRD) implemented an Income Generation Support project in Shida Kartli and worked with more than 800 of these families, giving them the economic jumpstart they needed to support themselves. IRD’s agricultural experts were helping vegetable farmers and dairy producers in villages around Georgia’s second city, Gori, to increase production, band together in producer organizations, and link with processors to distribute their products to domestic and export markets. The project was accelerating private sector development in Georgia by supplying small-scale farmers with quality-certified seed potatoes, providing training on potato production practices, and developing a substitute import potato market. IRD was also distributing tools and farming equipment to replace those lost or stolen during the conflict. Vegetable farmers’ training started with the use of mini-greenhouses called polytunnels for the production of healthy seedlings and continues on into the individual garden plots with intensive on-site training for raising bed planting, trellising, fertilizing, watering, pruning, and controlling weed and disease. The training and inputs allow the families to produce three to six times their previous yield of vegetables. IRD’s dairy value chain model supplied the dairy producers’ association with a collection vehicle, negotiation strategies to fix unit price sales contracts between the processors and milk producers for daily sale of milk; and supply for 100 milk producers with high-quality, high-yield cows to increase their production. IRD also provided technical expertise to the cheese production facility to establish market connections and negotiate sales contracts in Gori.
In addition, the program also included the emergency repair of Tbilisi-based collective centers housing those internally displaced people who fled Abkhazia in the early 1990s who have not yet received a durable housing solution from either the Government of Georgia or the international community. The water and sewage systems, electricity and bathrooms were repaired  in 10 collective centers. The rehabilitation of those facilities was finalized at the end of February 2010.
Most relevant questions/answers:
This workshop was very productive and fruitful. The participants asked a lot of questions to the speakers about different aspects of their professional activities: Would you say that such kinds of projects are necessary in the future for the inhabitants of the Shida Khartli region (this question was addressed to the representative of IRD)?  What are the opportunities and the strengths of the region? What are the main threats for the economic development of the Shida Khartli region?
 Based on the farmers’ interest in the trainings and the numerous questions raised, continuing the provision of extension services to farmers is strongly recommended. The communities expressed interest in trainings on numerous veterinary issues, such as improved use of feed resources, artificial insemination of livestock, anti-parasitic treatments, parasite management in pastures, prophylaxis for trans boundary animal diseases and zones, are issues that, should be addressed in future projects.
The region’s strengths and opportunities are natural waters, resorts, cultural inheritance, devotion, sports traditions, traditions, geographic location, museums of famous politicians (Joseph Stalin’s memorial museum was founded in 1937 in the house where Stalin was born. And after his death in 1957 a large gallery was opened. Despite of contradictory attitudes towards Stalin’s personality, lots of citizens of different countries are still attracted by the unique complex-museum) and irrigation of arable lands, rehabilitation and development of cultural facilities, rehabilitation and development of cultural inheritance, establishment of a farmers house, attraction of foreign investors, business development, creation of job places, rehabilitation of roads, improvement of irrigation, gas supply, improved potable water supply, rehabilitation and development of balneological  facilities.
Conflict, big portion of population living under poverty level, poor ecological conditions (forests are cut, riverbeds are changed, rivers are polluted), migration, drug addiction, unemployed youth are the main threats to the economic development of the region.
Total number of participants: 29
Alumni: 8
Government officials: 12
Academic Institutions: 3
NGOs: 6