On 01 May the Max Planck Foundation started a new project in Georgia entitled ‘Promoting Pluralism of Opinion and Free Media in Georgia‘ in collaboration with its local partner, the Civil Council on Defense and Security (CCDS). The objective of this new initiative is to raise awareness among minority groups in Georgia regarding their equal participation in economic, social, and political spheres, as well as to inform them about their minority rights. Additionally, the project aims to sensitise media representatives about the crucial role of media in a democratic society and to increase awareness on disinformation and stereotypical media reporting, which perpetuate harmful narratives and reinforce prejudices towards minority groups. Given Georgia’s diverse ethnic composition, promoting the integration of ethnic minorities into the political, economic, and cultural sphere in the country is of paramount importance. The project will culminate in a conference to be held in Tbilisi at the end of 2023, which aims to strengthen and expand the dialogue between the minority and media representatives from different regions as well as relevant legal experts and government representatives.
The project is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office as part of the programme ‘Expanding Cooperation with Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries and Russia’ and is jointly implemented by the Foundation and the CCDS.