Georgia: A meeting was held between the students of the Caucasus International University (CIU) winter school and the representatives of local governments of different cities and municipalities on February 9, 2024, in Georgia.
The meeting was part of the winter school program, which aims to help the understanding of the Caucasus as a phenomenon in the European academic space and to foster cultural and political dialogue.
The school audience met in the city hall of Poti, where the mayor of Poti, Beka Vajaradze, welcomed them. The other speakers were the mayor of Dusheti municipality, Matsatso Narimanidze, and the Telavi municipality city council chairman, Tengiz Mtvarelishvili.
They spoke about the development of their cities and municipalities, the problems and challenges the local population faces, and the opportunities for cooperation with the EU and other international partners.
They also answered questions from the students, who showed interest and curiosity about various aspects of local governance and public administration.
The event was moderated by Giorgi Pareshishvili, advisor to the rector of CIU, who thanked the speakers for their time and willingness to share their experiences and insights with the students. He also praised the students for their active participation and enthusiasm.
Notably, the students presented group presentations about different municipalities as part of their practical activities the previous day.
They analyzed each municipality’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and proposed relevant recommendations to address the population’s living standards and various infrastructure challenges. The presentations were based on the information gathered from the web search results and the lectures and seminars they attended during the winter school.
The winter school, which started on February 16 and will end on March 1, 2024, is organized by CIU with the support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in the framework of the project “Go East”. The winter school includes seminars, lectures, and a language course (Georgian language for starters).
The workshops are facilitated by Prof. Levan Tsagareli (CIU), and the lectures are held by local and international professors representing various fields of study and research. The winter school also offers a rich cultural program, which includes visits to German and international institutions and organizations, meetings with Georgian artists, writers, and politicians, and excursions to the ancient capital Mtskheta, the cave town Uplistsikhe, and the eastern region of Sighnaghi.
The winter school is expected to enhance the student’s knowledge and cross-cultural competencies, establish the basis for the further development of Caucasus Studies in Germany, and facilitate future collaboration between CIU and other European universities.
