Let’s meet Europe on the bus

N Children on board of the Mobile Information Centre bus in Gori - preparing for the movie session.

PEOPLE > GEORGIA

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“Can you name three European Union countries?” Even a quiz is proposed to visitors hopping on board the yellow-starred blue bus touring Georgia. The Mobile Information Centre is a new initiative of the EU Delegation: a bus touring all regions trying to bring to ordinary citizens a very concrete vision of what the European Union is and does in Georgia. Visitors are supplied with information about the projects funded, they can watch short documentaries, take part in discussions with the organisations implementing the projects, receive key information about the cooperation between Georgia and the EU. They can even participate in blitz quizzes and gain much appreciated prizes…. The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre was on board the bus, and brings this report.

Text and photos by Maia Chitaia

TBLISI - It is very early morning when our bus leaves Tbilisi, with its crew of volunteers from the EU Delegation to Georgia, the International Organization of Migration, Geor-gian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and the Multi-ethnic Resource Centres. The teams are well equipped with visual and audio materials, brochures, books and, of course, giveaways – the most exciting items for most people! In general, Georgians have shown some mistrust towards international institutions, but all on board are fired up in the hope our visit will have a significant impact.

“Dad, look, Americans have arrived!”We arrive in Gori: this is one of the most vulnerable regions, with deep scars left from the recent war, and with the IDP settlement constantly reminding people of the nightmare of the conflict. The central square where we set up our Mobile Info Centre is empty. Only a few cars are driving by. The EU branded bus is drawing attention, but the mistrust is

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EU Neighbourhood Info Centre Feature no. 83This is a series of features on projects funded by the EU Regional Programme, prepared by journalists and photographers on the ground or the EU Neighbourhood Info Centre. © 2012 EU Neighbourhood Info Centre

obvious and people are observing from a distance. One of the first people to break the ice is 85-year-old Nargiz O., a member of the Uzbek minority who has been living in Georgia since 1995. She lives alone and has a very small income to survive on, which is sent to her by her daughter in Ukraine. “With this money I can hardly buy medicines,” she says, “I would like to apply to receive a pension from the Georgian government, but I am not a citizen of Georgia, so I gave up….” As our volunteers from the GYLA brief her about the possibility to receive double citizenship, which would enable her to get a pension in Georgia, she is evidently relieved. Now the ice is broken, all sorts of visitors start flocking in. They are public ser-

vice workers inquiring about labour rights, relatives of war victims seeking psychological aid, or young people looking to legally migrate to European countries…. We move on and make a surprise visit to Tserovan’s internally displaced people settle-ment. Thanks to the financial support of the European Union, hundreds of small houses were built after the 2008 war and now belong to the people who fled villages in South Ossetia. Here they have found new homes, a new village, a school. And they have started their lives over. “Dad, look, Americans have arrived!” cries six-year-old David to his father. We explain that we are Georgians just like him, but working for the European Union that unites 27 European Countries to bring peace and stability. To deepen David’s first impression of Europe, we invite him and his friend on board to watch a documentary about Europe. David will now never forget that his favourite Olympic games were born in Greece – one of the EU member states – that the Danube is the longest river in Europe and that the 12 yellow stars on a blue background is the bright symbol of the European Union.

“We older people like to read…”We then reach Kutaisi, one of the ancient cities of Georgia. It is a sunny Sunday morning. “How well do you know the European Union” is the topic of the blitz quiz our project team is proposing. The questions range in their level of difficulty from: “When was the European Union first founded?”, to “How many member states does the European Union unite?”, and “Name three European Union countries”. Those who supply correct answers receive a variety of nice EU branded giveaways. The desire to win prizes is great, and people want more and more questions to answer for the chance to win ! To our great surprise, even our older visitors are very excited, often gaining the highest scores in the blitz quiz. “We older people like to read,” explains 80-year-old Akaki Buskhrikidze. “Any information I am interested in, I receive from books, newspapers. So next time you are here, bring books. I would like to take this prize to my grandchildren.” The first school we visit is the Internally Displaced Peoples settlement school. We prepare a classroom for our presentation by hanging pictures depicting stories of how the Euro-pean Union has changed people’s lives and we set up a screen and projector for the film, a 20-minute documentary that tells the history of the European Union, gives insight into the economical and cultural life of its member states, and highlights landmarks in its his-tory. We motivate the children to pay attention by suggesting they could win prizes. The children, aged 12-15, are sitting in total concentration, they even take notes. And when the question comes, they give the right answers. “It’s a pretty good ex-perience for teachers too,” says Maia Grdzelidze, the school’s history teacher. “I am just stunned by the level of involvement, even the children who find it hard to concentrate are interacting and giving the correct answer!”

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Feature no. 83p. 2Let’s meet Europe on the bus

“I am just stunned by the level of involvement, even the children who find it hard to concentrate are interacting and giving the correct answer!”

“We older people like to read, any information I am interested in, I receive from books, newspapers. So next time you are here, bring books…”

N A little girl reading an illustrated book about the European Union in Rustavi.

N The 80-year-old Akaki Buskhrikidze giving the correct answer on the “How well do you know the European Union?” blitz quiz in Kutaisi.

“I want to take Europe home…”Giorgi Nakaidze is nine years old and he lives in Rustavi together with his family. His mother is a housewife and his father has a tiny stall at Rustavi market. With this small family business, Mr Nakaidze keeps his wife and four children. “Sometimes I have to help my father in the business,” says Giorgi. “I am the eldest child in the family and dad relies on me. I can do this only on weekends as I go to school and have daily training with my school football team. I am very good at that…” he smiles. We meet Giorgi at Rustavi main square as he’s returning home from a late football training session. We stop him to sug-gest he takes part in the kids blitz quiz about the European Union. “Can you name one of the European countries and its capital?” is the question. “Sure! It is the home country of my favourite football team, Real Madrid. This is Spain.” And his eyes sparkle with happiness. He wants to try another question to have a chance to win a children’s book called “Travel in Europe”. “I will bring the European Union home and read it to my siblings” Giorgi says. “What is the capital of France?” “I know that, it’s Paris…” Giorgi dreams of visiting Disney-land. So he walks off with a handful of gifts and his plan to take Europe home.

EU Neighbourhood Info Centre – Feature no. 83p. 3

“Can you name one of the European countries and its capital?” “Sure! It is the home country of my favourite football team, Real Madrid. This is Spain”.

The EU Neighbourhood Info Centre is an EU-funded Regional Communication project highlighting the partnership between the EU and Neighbouring countries. The project is managed by Action Global Communications.

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EU Neighbourhood Info Centre An ENPI project

Let’s meet Europe on the bus

N EU representatives disseminating material about EU-funded projects in Georgia at the Shavshvebi Internally Displaced Peoples settlement of Gori region.

EU cooperation in GeorgiaThe European Union (EU) through its Financial and Technical Cooperation supports Georgia’s ambitious reform agenda. More than 100 projects are currently being carried out in Georgia. EU assistance focuses on the support of the following sectors:Justice, Freedom and Security; Human Rights, Democratization and Civil Society; Conflict Resolution; Economy, Trade and Public Finance Management; Infrastructure, Environment and Rural Development; Education, Health and Social Development.

EU funding for projects in Georgia is provided in the form of grants, contracts and increasingly budget support.http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/projects/overview/index_en.htm

EU prize for JournalismThe ‘EU Prize for Journalism’ is the first of its kind in Georgia to recognise Georgian journalists who have demonstrated journalistic integrity and professionalism. The Prize acknowledges the best journalistic works originally published/aired/posted in Georgia. The winners are named in the three categories: 1) Best investigative or opinion article; 2) Best TV and/or Radio coverage; and 3) Best webpage/blog/social mediahttp://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/georgia/eu_prize_journalism/eu_prize_journalism_en.htm

The EU-3-Minutes festivalThe EU 3-Minute Film Festival is a new initiative of the European Union Delegation to Georgia. Georgian youths aged between 14-25 years are invited to create short movies with their mobile devices showing their perspective of the impact of the European Union on their environment. The short films are uploaded to the competition website: www.eu3min.ge with prizes being awarded to the top three entrants.http://www.eu3min.ge/

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