The State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili and Deputy State Minister Lia Gigiauri presented to the Public Defender's Office’s Minorities Council and the members of the interdepartmental commission a report on the implementation of activities of the integration and civic equality strategy’s Action Plan – 2018-s and priorities for 2019.

The meeting focused on the measures taken to support small and vulnerable ethnic minorities, access to media and information and gender equality issues.

Participants also discussed the involvement of the ethnic minorities in the civil and political life, their equal and full participation, equal social and economic conditions and opportunities, access to quality education, opportunities to improve the knowledge of state language, ethnic minority culture and tolerant environment, steps that are made by the State and plans for the future.

The State Minister spoke about the importance of the meeting and said that it is the possibility of the State to discuss the problems of ethnic minorities with the organizations, groups and people who are themselves ethnic minority representatives. 

"More diversification and greater integration will be our priority also in the future. It's totally achievable and compatible tasks. Our aim is not only to take care of the diversity and wealth that we have and which is strengthened by centuries-old traditions based on the principles of mutual respect and tolerance, but also to demonstrate more and more involvement of each citizen. That’s why we need all these strategies and policies.

“I want to emphasize this today, because for the last period we see the attempts to bring an external sensitivity issues into the internal context, in the relationships between our ethnic groups. This is unacceptable for the population living here - our ethnically Armenian and Azeri citizens, who live in our common homeland together with Georgians and all other ethnic groups and work for the development of the country. The number one priority is to be consolidated and have a peaceful future that we all want.

"Of course, we are sensitive to such issues, as conflict. We have a very clear position on the international arena. Relationship with each neighbor is important to us. Moreover, Georgia has a desire and willingness to be a peacekeeping platform and to promote the rapprochement of neighboring states. However, all this is foreign policy and has nothing in common with the domestic relations, where our starting point is a tradition of centuries-old, peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and tolerance. We will take care of this, will defend and develop", - said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria also delivered a speech at the meeting. The event was supported by the "Tolerance, Civic Consciousness and Integration Support" (PITA) program of USAID and the United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG).