Russian and Georgian women-peacemakers conference in Tbilisi

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Author: Tamar Kikacheishvili

Meeting of Russian and Georgian women-peacemakers was held in Tbilisi. Among the participants were activists and journalists of the two countries, who took the function of establishing dialogue between the two nations.

The conference was organized by the Cultural-Humanitarian Fund “Sukhumi,” Georgian women’s NGO, The Union of Don Women, Russian regional public organization, and with the financial support of the Swedish Women’s Foundation Kvinna Till Kvinna.

This was the first such meeting organized in Georgia since the war in August 2008.

Participants discussed possible ways for establishing contacts and good neighborly relations between Russia and Georgia.

It was decided that to forget all good which connected Russia and Georgia was impossible. Also, cooperation should be established in several directions: work in the sphere of culture, journalistic exchange programs, economics, education and youth’s policy.

Also, an action plan was elaborated at the conference as a basis for further peacemaking. Women agreed to meet regularly in the future and work on concrete humanitarian projects in Russia and Georgia.

Georgia Today exclusively presents the text elaborated by the participants.

 “We participants of the meeting of Georgian and Russian women, held on Dec. 4-6, 2009 in Tbilisi are starting dialogue, the main objective of which is the restoration of confidence between the nations. Participants of the meeting are deeply concerned of the strain and gap growing between our countries which have strengthened since military actions in August 2008. Someone should make the first step. To do this we – women initiated creation of an Alliance ‘Dialogue of Georgian and Russian Women' and elaborated number of humanitarian initiatives. We hope that interested citizens and organizations will join us and support our striving for peace and values common for all mankind.”

09 December Wed 2009, 16:24:04