To activate the community and strengthen
local democracy in Khelvachauri Municipality, we announced a civic activism
competition in 2023. This initiative was carried out within the framework of
the Bread for the World (BftW) funded project "Establishing Strong Links
Between Local Development Actors" and aimed to encourage local youth to
present their own ideas for community development. Under my coordination, wide
dissemination of information about the competition and the organization of an "Open
Door Day" were ensured, which helped to increase interest.
Four diverse applications were submitted
for the competition, reflecting the current interests of the Khelvachauri
population, including topics such as the role of citizens in local development,
European values, and feminism. For the objective evaluation of ideas, under my
coordination, an independent commission was established with the participation
of local and invited experts. Based on pre-defined criteria, the commission
identified the winning project – "Civic Activism in Khelvachauri 'Feminism'".
The awards ceremony, held on September
24, 2023, aimed not only to recognize the winners with a prize fund but also to
encourage all participants with commemorative certificates and gifts. For me,
as the Program Coordinator, active involvement in all stages of this process –
from planning the competition to coordinating the evaluation process – was
significant. This competition became a clear example of how civic initiatives
can be encouraged and the community strengthened at the local level.