RESOURCES

  CITC

Civil Integration and Tolerance Council

With the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Government started to work on state policy in the integration field. In accordance with a presidential decree, the Civil Integration and Tolerance Council was created on August 8, 2005. The decree also defined the functions of the Council. In particular:

• Study and analysis of existing international, governmental, social, and academic experience, programs and initiatives, studies and opinions in the fields of tolerance and civil integration; 
• Achievement of wide national consensus on tolerance and civil integration issues through ensuring the active participation of every interested person and holding dialogue with political, social, ethnic and religious groups;
• Development of a civil participation mechanism for the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan elaboration process;
• Development of schemes to provide political, financial, institutional, legal and expert resources for the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan implementation;
• Analysis of current legislation of Georgia and development of a package of legal changes to improve existing gaps;
• Development of mechanisms to monitor implementation of activities stipulated by the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan and mechanisms to allow for appropriate responses to the changing environment.

The Council was tasked to

• Develop the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan project by October 31, 2008;
• Inform the President, Government and Parliament of Georgia about ongoing activities.

The Government of Georgia was tasked to

• Based on the submission and recommendations of the Council, to pass the National Integration Strategy and Action Plan by December 31, 2008.

Composition of the Council
Tamar Kintsurashvili – Advisor to the President of Georgia, Head of the Council
Temur Iakobashvili – State Minister of Georgia for Reintegration Issues
Davit Tkeshelashvili – Head, Administration of the President of Georgia
Giga Bokeria – First Deputy Minister of Georgia for Foreign Affairs
David Andghuladze – Deputy Minister of Georgia for Culture, Monument Protection and Sport
Vakhtang Lezhava – First Deputy Minister for Economic Development
Davit Darchiashvili – Member of Parliament, Chairman of the European Integration Committee
Akaki Minashvili – Member of Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Judicial Committee
Chiora Taktakishvili – Member of Parliament, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Education, Science and Culture
Giorgi Tugushi – Public Rights Ombudsman of Georgia
Mamuka Pachuashvili – Member of the board of trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcasting
Levan Ramishvili – Chairman of the board of administration of Liberty Institute
Zurab Guntsadze – Director of the Association of Legal and Public Education
Ramaz Aptsiauri – Founding Director of the UN Association of Georgia
Davit Aprasidze – Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Post-Graduate Studies; International Relations and European Studies, International School of Caucasus Studies
Zaur Khalilov – Director of the Civil Integration Foundation
Genadiy Muradyan – Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Georgia
Giga Zedania – Coordinator of the Open Society – Georgia Foundation’s Civil Integration Program  

 

Working Groups

The Council has defined six main priority areas for the development of policy papers, and consequently has created six working groups inside the Council. These are:

• Rule of Law
• Education
• Culture
• Social and Regional Integration of Society
• Media
• Civil Participation