The State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili introduced new peace initiative - "A Step to a Better Future" to the representatives of NGOs.

About 40 experts and representatives of the NGO sector attended the meeting. The State Minister spoke about the details of this peace initiative. She said that the Government of Georgia has taken a very important step in the framework of reconciliation and engagement policy.

"First of all this initiative echoes the needs and the interests of the population in order to improve their social, economic and humanitarian situation, create a basis for the relations between people along the occupation lines, encourage people to people contacts, cooperation and dialogue, promote a peace policy – this is a very important task.

"Today we met with the representatives of NGOs and experts, who are involved in the peace process, confidence building, public diplomacy who are dealing with people living on the other side of the dividing lines and talks about specific details. During the working process we had a number of meetings, also with experts, to make the content of the peace packet tailored to the needs. Today we discuss how to implement it.

"This peace initiative is a statement from our side that it is time to analyze the severity of the situation. Also the hardest consequences for the population living on the both sides of the dividing lines, necessity to take appropriate steps to improve the situation". 

"This package is called "A Step to a Better Future" and it’s not accidental. This title fully reflects the spirit that the Georgian government has and I am sure that it will be possible to activate these initiatives, because they are very rational, pragmatic. These are depoliticized tools in order to respond the needs of the population", - said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.