An information meeting was held with blind and partially sighted students on issues of Georgia’s western integration in Tbilisi public school N126.

The meeting was held within the framework of the small grants competition winning project announced by the Information Center on NATO and EU under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support local initiatives and to raise the level of awareness of blind and partially sighted beneficiaries about the importance of European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia.

At the meeting, the director of the Information Center on NATO and EU, Tamara Tsuleiskiri, and Mukhran Gunia, a representative of the Abkhazian Blind and Deaf Union “Hera” addressed the students with a welcome speech. The head of the European Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zurab Khamasuridze spoke as an invited expert about the important aspects of the EU-Georgia relationship with the youth.

During the meeting, the director of the Information Centre on NATO and EU spoke about the activities of the Information Center, its priorities and projects for young people. Tamara Tsuleiskiri emphasized the importance of young people’s awareness of and involvement in the process of Georgia’s western integration, thanked the organization that won the small grants competition for implementing the project and noted the need for similar initiatives.

For his part, Mukhran Gunia, the representative of the Abkhazian Blind and Deaf Union “Hera” highlighted the importance of supporting similar initiatives.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about the history of Georgia’s European integration, the dynamics of cooperation and the opportunities available for young people within the framework of the European Union’s various programs. Special attention was focused on the opening of the European perspective for Georgia and on the steps to be taken to obtain the candidate status.

For information: within the framework of the project, the Abkhazian Blind and Deaf Union “Hera” arranged for the preparation of audio versions of publications  published by the Information Centre, in particular, of the book “Guide to NATO and the European Union” and of the information booklet “Myths about NATO and the European Union”.

A total of 100 audio books were issued within the project: 50 “Guide to NATO and the EU” and 50 “Myths about NATO and the EU”. Audio books were handed over to specialized educational organizations and central libraries of regions.

The small projects competition to support local initiatives was announced within the framework of the project “Increasing Regional Outreach and Engagement Over Western Integration” funded by the United States Department of State. The Project is implemented by the Information Center on NATO and EU together with the U.S. Embassy to Georgia.