MINELRES: Georgia: Armenian-Meskhetian dialogue

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Marat Baratashvili <marat@geo.net.ge>


Dear collegues,
  
See the attached document - the press-release - from the Union of
Georgian Repatriates about the Armenian-Meskhetian dialogues project.
  
Thank you very much.
  
Yours sincerely,
Marat Baratashvili,
the chairman

Phone: (995 32) 79 25 10
E-mail: marat@geo.net.ge

--------------------------------------
Armenians have met Meskhetians

Press-release of the Union of Georgian Repatriates

As we have informed you earlier in May 2003 the Union of Georgian
Repatriates (UGR) started the realisation of the project called
"Armenian-Meskhetian dialogue for stability in Georgia". The project is
carried out in cooperation with the Armenian cultural-charitable Union
"Akhaltsikhe is our Common House". This is the second project of the UGR
financed by special Europe Council Confidence-building Measure
Programme. In 11-month duration 5 training-seminar will be held devoted
to non-violence solving of conflicts. The representative of
Samtskhe-Javakheti Armenian community and Meskhetian repatriates of
Georgia will take part in training.

On the 9-11th of August the first training-seminar took place in the
Nasakirali village, region Guria, the west of Georgia, where the
Meskhetian repatriates live compactly. 6 representatives of Armenian
intelligentsia from Samtskhe-Javakheti and 6 representatives of
Meskhetian repatriates intelligentsia in Georgia will took part in that
course. At first the Armenian guests didn't feel themselves comfortable
enough because they came to visit people, they had had the negative
stereotypes about. The care was shown also by Meskhetians.

The participants of the training had an opportunity to familiarise with
the theory and to practise in such subjects as the elements of the
effective communications, methods of the resolution of conflicts, search
of the non-violent decisions, competition, compromise, cooperation etc.
Most important - participants for the first time met people, within 3
days close have got acquainted with each other, and also with "alive"
Meskhetians (only 2 of whom live in Nasakirali, the rest came from the
west and east of Georgia and from Tbilisi), about which they had vague
image till now. All the participants lived in Meskhetian families and
had the chance to communicate with the members of these families and see
their everyday life.

In the evening of the second day of the training all the participants
and the local population held the concert, which everyone was able to
participate in. 

All the participants have noted a friendly and confidential atmosphere
and also interest of all participants of training. They consider that
the knowledge and skills received in the training will be useful for
them and can be applied in their further life. Each of them wants to
learn the AVP method to prevent possible conflicts in the future. All
the members of the group became friends due to the AVP. The participants
have highly estimated professional qualities of the trainers. 

Other trainings are coming within the framework of the mentioned
project.

Information about a course of the further realisation of the project
"Armenian-Meskhetian dialogue for stability in Georgia" will be given to
all interested persons.

Our contacts:
Phone: (995 32) 79 25 10
E-mail: marat@geo.net.ge