Georgia Today Education #17 - October issue 2018

EDUCATION www.georgiatoday.ge

Issue no: 017

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• OCTOBER 2018

• PUBLISHED MONTHLY

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In this issue...

Blending Tradition with Innovation in Vocational Education & Training PAGE 2

The Bank and Protection of the Customers’ Rights PAGE 5

Fabrikaffiti Urban Art Festival Hits Tbilisi for 3rd Time PAGE 8

FOCUS

ON THE FUTURE In this issue we look at vocational education, technology, our impact on the world, graffiti, reading and more!

MenCare Georgia Presented at Frankfurt Int’l Book Fair PAGE 12

Meskhetian Terrace Celebrates First Grape Harvest in 400 Years PAGE 14

Georgia is Guest of Honor at the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair

BY THEA MORRISON

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he Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, opened the Frankfurt Book Fair together with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Jurgen Boos, Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, where Georgia was this year’s Guest of Honor.

Bakhtadze said that it is an honor for Georgia to be the Guest of Honor at a book fair which boasts a history of 500 years.

“European society knows the importance of cultural legacy in the formation and development of the European identity. This is why such spaces were created with all their opportunities offered by the International Frankfurt Book Fair,” he said.

Throughout the year, Georgia has been exposing Germany to its full

resources in literature, drama theater, music, paintings and drawings, cinema, folklore and other mediums. The PM also spoke about the uniqueness of the Georgian alphabet and its centuries-old culture and civilization.

“Georgians have an exceptional feeling of pride towards the Georgian alphabet, which is one of the oldest and most unique scripts in the world. This alphabet served as the basis of Georgian literature, which originated in the 5th century

and has a 15 century-long history,” he added.

Bakhtadze said it is symbolic that Georgia is showcasing its literature and culture on the 100th Anniversary of the First Democratic Georgian Republic.

“It is our great honor to showcase Georgia in Germany - a country which was among the first to recognize the Democratic Republic of Georgia 100 years ago,” he said, adding Germany has stood by Georgia at every stage of its development.

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Blending Tradition with Innovation in Vocational Education & Training What’s That?

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

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sinamdzghvriantkari Community College in the Mtskheta region of Georgia celebrated its 135th anniversary on 2 October 2018. There were 200 guests from the government, Parliament, educational institutions, private sector, civil society, international organizations and the media there to celebrate.

The celebration was organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, with help from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), in partnership with the Georgian Farmers’ Association and local authorities.

Tsinamdzghvriantkari College is the first vocational education and training institution in Georgia, founded in 1883 as an agrarian vocational school by well-known Georgian teacher and publicist, Ilia Tsinamdzghvrishvili. The college was

supported by eminent public figures, including Ilia Chavchavadze, Iakob Gogebashvili and Niko Tskhvedadze.

“The distinguished Georgian statesmen who founded this college understood the value of vocational education for people and the economy. Today, vocational education is gaining new life in Georgia while preserving its rich traditions,” said Mikheil Batiashvili, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.

Oliver Bürki, Regional Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in the South Caucasus, noted that vocational education reform benefits the local economy and creates new opportunities for people.

“The commitment of the oldest vocational college in Georgia to reform is a good example of how new approaches to education can change people’s lives and promote economic growth. Georgia is progressing in reforming its system of vocational education and training.

Switzerland will continue to support this positive and much needed

Info Box In the United States, about 33% of young adults earn a 4-year university degree by age 27. The push in recent few years has centered around encouraging every young person in America to go to college as the pathway to the middle class. But some experts say we put too much emphasis on a college education and that career and technical schools provide another pathway to success.

Vocational education – training for a specific occupation in agriculture, trade, or industry through a mix of theoretical teaching and practical experience Eminent – important, popular Distinguished – important, popular, educated Value – worth, importance to society Benefits – helps, is good for Opportunities – chances Commitment – agree to help / do something Approaches – ways of doing something Promote – make something more popular/better known Piloted – tried for the first time kicked off – started Soil – earth, ground Pest – insect or animal that destroys plants or objects development,” he said.

The Work-Based Learning program piloted in Tsinamdzghvriantkari College, is part of a wider assistance to the vocational education and training reform in Georgia provided by the Government of Switzerland in cooperation with the UNDP. “The innovative pilot project combines vocational education with parallel work experience. This creates direct links between businesses and educational institutions and contributes to re-building the local economy. Over 100 students and more than 20 companies across Georgia have benefitted from this educational model so far,” Giorgi Nanobashvili, UNDP Economic Development Team Leader in Georgia, said.

The celebration in Tsinamdzghvriantkari Community College kicked off with a historical exhibi-

tion next to the old school building followed by outdoor activities organized by VET-students from all over Georgia to show the achievements of the Work-Based Learning programs. Guests could try classes in fruit-growing and milk-processing, soil analyses and honey testing, and learn the secrets of pest control.

Seven Vocational Education and Training institutions in Georgia are already taking part in six agrarian Work-Based Learning programs.

The number of programs is expected to double in 2019.

Food for Thought  What do you think of VET? Is it more beneficial for students to study a trade or study for a degree at university?  Why are some parents against VET?  If you could learn a trade, what would you learn and why?

How long until it’s gone?

WASTE DEGRADATION TIME

.............. . . . .

.

. . . ....

. . .................................................................

.....

. . . . . ...

Banana peel

Paper bag

Newspaper

2-3 weeks

3-4 weeks

1 month

1.5 month

......

................................................................. . . .

.

.. . . .... . . . . . . . .

Cigarette butt

Wool sock

Orange peel

Apple core

5-10 years

1-5 years

6 months

2 months

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

Rubber tire 50-80 years

50 years

Polyethylene container 50-80 years

..........................................................

Polyethylene bag

Disposable diaper

200-1000 years

500 years

............ . . .

25-40 years

Disposable plastic cup

......

Leather boot

.

..... . . .

.....

. . . . . . . ......

Paper napkin

Plastic bottle

Aluminum can

450 years

200-500 years

Shaping the Future by Changing Today

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Le Jour du Souvenir

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a première guerre mondiale a fait 9 millions de morts dont 1,7 million en France, pertes civiles et armées confondues.

Afin de ne pas oublier ce conflit international, chaque année, en France, le 11 novembre est l’occasion de commémorer la fin de la première guerre mondiale et la signature de l’armistice de 1918.

En 1919, le projet d’hommage à un soldat inconnu français tué lors de la Première guerre, symbole anonyme de tous les “Poilus” morts pour la France, est officiellement adopté.

L’année suivante, le soldat inconnu est transféré à Paris et inhumé sous l’Arc de triomphe. Depuis 1922, ce jour est férié et s’appelle «Jour du Souvenir». On honore et on se sou-

vient des soldats morts pour la patrie. Depuis 2012, il s’agit une journée d’hommage à tous les soldats morts pour la France, tout conflit confondu.

Partout en France, il est traditionnellement respecté deux minutes de silence à 11 h, le onzième jour du onzième mois car c’est le moment où l’armistice a pris effet. Le président de la république française se rend sur la tombe du soldat inconnu, y dépose une gerbe de fleurs et s’y recueille. Dans le reste de la France, les représentants officiels procèdent eux aussi à un dépôt de gerbes au monument aux morts de chaque commune.

Cette année, les commémorations seront importantes car elles marquent le centenaire de la fin du

Le saviez-vous?

- Les «Poilus» était le nom donné aux soldats français de la première guerre mondiale.

- La fleur qui symbolise les Poilus est le bleuet car il était de la même couleur que l’uniforme des soldats français - Dans toutes les villes françaises, il existe un monument aux morts. Sur ce monument, on trouve le nom des soldats de la ville morts pour la France.

Mots-clés Confondu (adj.) : sans distinction / განურჩევლად Afin de : pour / -თვის Un armistice : accord signé par plusieurs gouvernement et qui met fin à une guerre / ზავი Inhumer : enterrer /დასაფლავება Un jour férié : un jour où on ne travaille pas / დასვენების დღე La patrie : la nation /სამშობლო Prendre effet : devenir actif /ძალაში შესვლა Une gerbe : un bouquet / თაიგული Se recueillir : méditer, réfléchir / გახსენება Une commune : une ville / დასახლება Un centenaire : cent ans / ასი წლისთავი Un bleuet : ღიღილო conflit. À cette occasion, Emmanuel forum de Paris sur la paix. L’objectif Macron, l’actuel président français est de faire avancer la paix par une a souhaité organiser le premier meilleure gouvernance mondiale.

Liens utiles Site institut https://institutfrancais.ge/ka/ Site du Forum de Paris sur la paix https://parispeaceforum.org/fr/

EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

FINANCIAL LITERACY Presented by

The Bank and Protection of the Customers’ Rights

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ustomershavespecific rights related to banks and financial institutions: rules that tell us what the person can do or what belongs to him/her.

Check out the Info Box to see what they are and read on to see how Teona, 16, opened her first bank account. Can you match the rights in the box to the conversation?

TEONA’S STORY When Teona turned 16, she decided to save money to buy a computer.

She started a part-time job at an icecream parlor on weekends. Once she had a regular income, she decided to open a bank account and asked her mother to go with her to the bank.

At the bank, Teona told one of the operators that she wanted to open an account. The operator smiled politely, and asked her to sit down,

Source: www.knowyourrights.skoun.org

saying, “Sorry, as soon as I’m free, I will help you.”

WHICH RIGHT WAS RESPECTED? As soon as the operator was free, she took Teona and her mother to a separate room and told them: “We have six types of account at our bank, each with different conditions. What is your goal? Why do you want to save money?” she asked Teona.

“To buy a computer,” Teona answered.

“In this case, I can offer you the savings account, where you can always add and withdraw money,” said the operator.

“No, I want an account that lets me take money only after one year,” Teona replied.

“Ok,” the operator said.

WHICH RIGHT WAS RESPECTED? “Then you need an cumulative

What’s That?

Save money – keep some money and not spend it Part-time – working a few hours every day or only a few days per week Income – salary, pay you get after a month of work Separate – closed, private Withdraw – take money out of your account Accrued – collected Protected – safe, no-one would see it Violating – against, not respecting

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Info Box Customers have the following rights in the bank: • The right to be treated with respect • The right to choose the product you want • The right to be informed and get complete, exact, timely and easily understandable information • The right to express your opinion • The right to privacy and confidentiality deposit, where you can add an unlimited amount of money to your account each month. Interest will be accrued at the end of the period and you will be able to use it.”

Teona asked, “What percentage will be transferred to my account?

Can I add to the account each week or each month?”

“For an cumulative deposit, we have a rate of 10.5%, and you can add any amount, any time. Before we sign the contract, you can check what other banks offer and then make a decision,” the operator answered.

WHICH RIGHT WAS RESPECTED? Teona had all the information she needed and decided to open an cumulative deposit. The operator prepared the contract for Teona and her mother and asked them to read it to check everything was acceptable. Then Teona’s mother signed the contract.

“Now you can go to the cashbox and add the amount there,” the operator said, and told Teona that her personal information at the bank was protected and the information about the amount of money in the account would be seen only by Teona and her mother.

WHICH RIGHT WAS RESPECTED? The article includes materials from the National Bank’s School Bank textbook, prepared with the support of the National Bank.

OUR RIGHTS All bank customers deserve to be treated with respect no matter their age, gender, religion, nationality, or other characteristics.

 The customer has the right to choose which product or service to buy. The bank must give them comprehensive, exact and easily understandable information about the product.

 The customer has the right to be informed and get complete, exact, timely and easily understandable information, in order to understand the conditions of the offered products and get answers to all questions in a language they understand.

 The customer has the right to express their opinion, and when they are not happy with the quality of the bank’s product, or when they think that the bank is violating their rights, they can complain.

 The customer’s personal information should be protected. Your personal information includes name, surname, ID number, information about your loan, etc. Nobody has a right to use or check, or to share your personal information with others without your permission.

 In Georgia, the rights of all bank customers are protected by all banks and the National Bank of Georgia.

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Eastern Partnership Regional Conference on Dual Education Info Box

Photo: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport

BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE

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eputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Irina Abuladze, hosted a three-day Eastern Partnership Regional Conference to share experience on issues

of dual education among partner countries. A dual education system combines an apprenticeship in a company with vocational education at a vocational institute in one course.

This system is practiced in several countries, notably Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. South Korea has also recently adopted the model.

The conference was organized by

What’s That?

Hosted – lead, managed, organized Combines – puts together, adds, mixes Apprenticeship – when you work with an expert to learn (internship) Recently – close to now (time) Highlighted – put focus on Aspects – parts, ideas Access – people can do it Adult education – where adults can also take courses to learn new skills Employment rate – how many people work Cooperation – working together

Since 2014 the ETF has been supporting Georgian ministries and social partners to develop education and training projects to boost employability and increase access to opportunities. To grow its per capita GDP and address the main problems in the Georgian economy and society, the government has been implementing the Social-economic Development Strategy of Georgia “Georgia 2020”.

Education and vocational education and training are among the priorities and they want to see an increase of people enrolling in Vocational Education to 10% by 2020.

Georgia’s population has decreased by almost 15% since 2002. A third of the population lives in Tbilisi and agriculture continues to be the largest source of employment.

Over half of the working population are self-employed with the youth unemployment rate higher than the total unemployment rate. Those with a vocational education and training background are more likely to be unemployed; there is a lack of work-based practical experience and often people are over-qualified for the job. One third of young people in Georgia neither work nor study and women make up 61% of all uneducated and untrained youth aged 15-29. the European Training Foundation (ETF) and was attended by 50 delegates from 6 countries – Ukraine, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, and Kazakhstan.

Deputy Minister Abuladze introduced the new vision of the Ministry on dual education and the results of recent reforms. She highlighted that vocational education is one of the priority directions of the system.

The main aspects of the vocational education system reform are: increased access to the vocational education system, development of an adult education system, and increasing dual education oppor-

tunities. The aim is to increase the employment rate of the population.

In the course of the conference, each country gave presentations that shared the experience and progress of their country in dual education. Future plans for cooperation between the countries were also decided on.

Food for Thought  Do you think adult education is a good idea? Why (not)?  How can an apprenticeship help a person learn?  What are the benefits of vocational education?

EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Schoolgirls Invent Shield Against Air Pollution

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Info Box A Natural Filter

Source: us130urbansustainability.wordpress.com

BY SHAWN WAYNE

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oung inventors from Georgia, Shorena Gujabidze, Marina Gujabidze and Dea Illarionova, devel-

positively and negatively. Water flows on the surfaces of the Water Shield with an excess amount of both negative and positive charge, which attracts harmful particles and destroys them.” said the girls.

The “Water Shield” can be used at airports, shopping centers and other

Food for Thought  Do you think the air you breathe is clean: a) in the street? b) in your school? c) in public transport? Why (not)?  The Water Shield protects against bacteria. How else can we be sure not to catch or pass on illnesses like colds and coughs? oped a device that helps fight bacteria, viruses and microbes that reproduce in the air.

“When we talk about air pollution, everybody imagines air polluted by car exhaust. This type of pollution is called artificial pollution, but there are natural factors that pollute the air and make it dangerous.

These are microbes, viruses and bacteria that are a great danger to our health. There is no effective prevention of this problem, which is why we decided to start working on this topic,” the schoolgirls said.

They created the innovative project “Water Shield,” an electrostatic filter with a bipolar ionizer function. It is designed to clean the air from the smallest dust, aerosols, smoke, particles, soot and so on.

“Modern research confirms that the bacteria shell is charged both

crowded places, making the air as fresh as that of waterfalls, the sea or in the mountains. The advantage of the device is that it cleans the air, regulates humidity, takes microorganisms from the air, and is energy efficient.

The inventions of the Georgian schoolgirls have attracted the attention of scientists not only in Georgia, but also abroad. They recently ranked 3rd at the 30th European Union Young Scientists Contest (EUCYS).

What’s That?

Device – machine Reproduce – multiply Exhaust – smoke, fumes from a car Artificial – not real, man-made Effective – works well Prevention – way of stopping Regulates – controls how much Efficient – works well Abroad – in other countries

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Fabrikaffiti Urban Art Festival Hits Tbilisi for 3rd Time

BY LIKA CHIGLADZE

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treet Art is flourishing in Georgia’s capital, with more and more murals, stencils and graffiti artworks on the streets, underground walkways and other public spaces in the city. The Fabrikaffiti Urban Art Festival is one of the best demonstrations of the fact graffiti is now a big part of the country’s contemporary culture, created by a new generation of artists.

This year, on October 6-7, the Fabrikaffiti Urban Art Festival took place for the third time in the capital Tbilisi. 40 artists were there, including Georgians Mysa, Gagosh, Gameza, and Lamb, and famous visiting artists from different countries, including Milo, Martha Cooper and Nika Kramer. As per tradition, the main location of the festival was Fabrika Tbilisi, a hostel and multifunctional space.

“The festival was well-organized and included a more diverse program than usual, like the Graffiti Sketch Battle, skateboarding, and talks with renowned urban artists,” co-organizer and artist ‘Lamb’ told GEORGIA TODAY. On the second day of the two-day street art festival, the winner of a sketch battle was given a prize, a

What’s That?

Flourishing – becoming very popular and successful Contemporary – modern Multifunctional – used by different businesses (shops, cafes, etc.)

Diverse – many different parts Renowned – famous Founded – started, created (business) Neighborhood – a district of a town or city / the area around your house

14-year-old boy known by the artist name ‘Spore,’ who is new to graffiti.

There were no age or gender limits at the festival, so everyone could show their talent to the public.

“The festival was founded by Artileria (Bacha Khoperia and Mirian Shengelaia). From the beginning, we supported their idea and the very first festival was held at Fabrika,” said Marika Kvirkvelidze, Fabrika Brand Manager. “Since then, Fabrika and its neighborhood have become the main location of the festival. The walls are painted every year, and empty spaces are filled with new images,” she told us.

Info Box Graffiti has been found in very old cities. For example, in the Roman Empire, people wrote messages and drew caricatures on walls. Modern graffiti was made famous in New York City in the early 1970s by the children of the working class. They called it “writing,” and called themselves “writers.” In a 1971 New York Times article, the term “graffiti” was first used to refer to the new urban art explosion that was becoming popular in New York City.

This period of the early 1970s is known as the “Original School.” Later in the 1980s, the next generation of graffiti artists came, now known as “Old School.”

Photo: The winner of Sketch Battle at Fabrikaffiti Urban Art Fest 2018 - SPORE

Food for Thought  What do you think of graffiti – is it art or ugly?

EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

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Georgia Ranks 3rd in First Global Robotics Competition Among 175 Countries

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eorgian students are gaining more and more success internationally, not least the students of the Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy in Tbilisi (GZAAT), who once again participated in the International Robotics Competition, an annual international robotics challenge held in Mexico. The GZAAT team won 3rd place among 175 country teams.

The competition is aimed at igniting a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) among young people from around the globe.

The focus of the 2018 international competition was “Energy Impact,” in which shifting alliances of three nations competed to fuel power plants, initiate renewable energy plans and build a resilient transmission network in a simulated exercise, using robots.

48 teams competed in the final stage. The alliance, which included Georgia, Great Britain and Qatar, ranked third place.

GEORGIA TODAY interviewed the members of First Global Team Georgia, composed of GZAAT students, and their mentor, GZAAT teacher Ilia Mestvirishvili, who shared the experience and emotions of this year’s competition.

The first thing they highlighted was that the success was doubly difficult to achieve, considering the unexpected challenges the Georgian team and their mentor had to face during the competition.

“The competition’s academic part was very important, as we got to discover the latest developments in Technology, Engineering, Programming, etc.,” said Sopho Kevlishvili, team leader. “But the unofficial part of it, such as the relationships between the team members and our attitudes towards each other was no less important.

We had to face many challenges together. Unfortunately, our robot was lost during the flight and we had to rebuild it. Despite the difficult situation, we tried our best to encourage each other. We met very interesting people and from the start, the majority of attendees had no idea about our country, but after

Image source: Microfinance Organization Crystal

our participation in the First Global Robotics Competition, everyone knew at least one Georgian word, ‘gamarjoba’ (hello). It was a very useful experience in Robotics and STEAM, fields which are not so popular in Georgia- my team members and I plan to use this experience to develop them.”

According to Sopho, establishing new friendly relations with team members from different countries was one of the most exciting parts of the competition. As she noted, their team was very united and unanimous, something which significantly contributed to their success.

“We always have to study hard at the Academy, so we were not afraid of difficulties and time limits,” said Lika Mikhelashvili, member of Team Georgia. “Accordingly, we managed to rebuild our robot and finish everything on time. Of course, each of us was nervous inside, but we tried not to show it and to stay positive.

I knew nothing about Robotics before this- I learned everything related with this sphere at the Academy, and it was very useful for me to develop my skills and knowledge in this new direction.”

“We met a lot of intelligent people during this competition,” Nika Gegechkori, member of Team Georgia, told us. “Everyone knew that our robot had been lost, and they were very helpful and friendly. This victory gave me more interest in Robotics and the motivation to expand my knowledge in this field.

I had a very united and hard-working team and mentor, they did their best to achieve success and the result of it is clearly visible.”

“The competition is not aimed at revealing the winner, its main idea is for children studying Science and

Technology to feel themselves and their work appreciated,” Ilia Mestvirishvili told us. “Despite the busy schedule, my students still had time for fun activities and finding new friends internationally. I’m delighted to be a part of their success and share their excitement.”

The sponsor of the First Global Team Georgia was Microfinance Organization Crystal.

Those interested in being a partner and sponsor of these talented young people can contact them through the team’s Facebook page: Fb/ First Global Team Georgia.

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EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY ?? 2018

B a c k f r o m L o n d o n , , m a i r Ma Speaks about the Future Journalist Competition

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or any student who wants to have a successful career, it is important to get an international education and experience abroad, especially in the UK. In Georgia, there are lots of opportunities for students which are given by companies and institutes who help to develop those students who really deserve it.

For Mariam Makhviladze, the GEORGIA TODAY and UK Bridge competition “Future Journalist 2018” was the chance to reach a goal and win the prize of a lifetime. The experience, knowledge and impressions the winner, Mariam, got from her two weeks at the Wimbledon School of English in the UK will last her entire life. We spoke to her to find out more about her experience.

“The Future Journalist competition had three rounds. In each round, students had to prepare ten questions to ask the Ambassador of the UK to Georgia, Justin McKenzie Smith, writer Giorgi Kekelidze or the First Lady of Georgia, Maka Chichua. Each round had three parts- first send the questions to GEORGIA TODAY, then three winners went to meet the people to ask and record the interview live, just like real journalists, and in the final part, we had to write the interview down in very good English and with an interesting style that Georgian and European readers would enjoy.

“I won the first round and it has changed my life and future plans: I have decided to become a journalist. By taking part in the competition, I found out that being a journalist is the most informative and enjoyable occupation to do in the world, giving you a chance to discover interesting news, create articles about new topics and meet new and interesting people.

“My prize was two weeks at the Wimbledon School of English this summer. There, I had met lots of students from all around Europe.

Apart from English lessons, we were involved in many projects and activities about journalism and communication. I learned how to speak in public, how to communicate with respondents, and which kinds of

method journalists use. I met lots of students with very different cultures and learned about their values on many different topics. I also went on excursions to London and Oxford. In Oxford, my dream came true when I went on an amazing Harry Potter tour, one of the things I was looking forward to most about my visit to the UK! “This year, my summer holiday was productive and informative, full of adventures and new impressions. The summer school not only helped me to travel and study in the UK, but also helped me to find out more about myself and my life goals. I now k n ow b e tte r how to take responsibility and to see things in a diff e r e n t way.

Maybe next year the Future Journalist competition will be YOU!”

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

MenCare Georgia Presented at Frankfurt Int’l Book Fair Info Box

Image source: www.fb.com/mencaregeorgia/

T

he MenCare Georgia Campaign, which won the Emerging Europe Award in 2018 for the best Equality-Friendly Initiative of the Year in Europe, was presented at the Frankfurt International Book Fair, where Georgia was the Guest of Honor this year.

On October 10, Karl Kulessa, UNFPA Representative in Turkey and Country Director for Georgia, and Lela Bakradze, UNFPA Georgia Country Office Assistant Representative spoke about the importance of gender equality, the necessity of fathers’ participation in caregiving and the results of the campaign. Joe Messi, head of the German NGO Stiftung Lesen also participated in the discussion to

give a German perspective.

On October 12, Mariam Bandzeladze, Gender Portfolio Manager at the UNFPA Georgia Country Office, and Alexander Lortkipanidze, a supporter of the MenCare Campaign, TV-presenter and writer, talked about how the campaign has developed, the biggest results, and the future plans of MenCare Georgia. The book “Lullaby for Lily” by Alexander Lortkipanidze (illustrations by Sopo Kirtadze), was presented.

On October 13, Levan Kobiashvili, President of the Georgian Football Federation, talked about the partnership of the MenCare Campaign and the Georgian Football Federation. Claudemir Jerônimo Barreto, a famous football player, was also with him to discuss the social responsibility of football and the

UNFPA started helping Georgia in 1993, dealing with reproductive health concerns. A UNFPA Country Office opened in Georgia in 1999. The UNFPA 3rd Country Program for Georgia (2016-2020) is country-specific and tailored to meet Georgia’s needs and priorities in the area of sexual and reproductive health, population dynamics and gender equality by addressing different areas, like access to information and services, gender equality and reproductive rights and availability of quality data on population dynamics and its analysis for making future policies. role of football players’ as supporters of gender equality.

The MenCare Campaign in Georgia was started in 2016 by the UNFPA Georgia Country Office in partnership with the NGO We Care within the framework of the UN Joint Program for Gender Equality funded by the Government of Sweden.

The MenCare Campaign promotes men’s roles as balanced, non-violent fathers, husbands and caregivers for better health and family wellbeing, and encourages men to support gender equality and the social and economic participation of women to contribute to the development of the society.

What’s That?

Emerging – coming out, growing, getting better Equality – when both men and women are the same (work, salaries, respect, etc) Gender – man or woman Caregiving – looking after/caring for the family Supporter – a person who believes in the same ideas Developed – changed, improved, got better Discuss – talk about Violent – aggressive, can hurt other people Encourages – pushes Contribute – do something to help

Food for Thought  What responsibilities should men and women have in the house? Make a list for each.  Now look at your list and think: Could they both do the same things? Why (not)?  Think of your family and the families where you live.

Who does which jobs on your list? Why?

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GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

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Paper Bags Replace Single Use Plastic Bags Info Box Choose a ‘Bag for Life’ You can buy life bags in most big supermarkets for less than 2 GEL. Keep them in your school bag, handbag or car and use them every time you go shopping– and if you look after them, they will last a lifetime!

Surati Source: Getty

BY SHIRIN MAHDAVI

F

rom October 1, Georgia will start to cease the production, usage, and circulation of singleuse plastic bags. The new law made some people askwhat will replace these bags? The answer is paper bags.

As plastic fades out, in comes paper. The new paper bags will help Georgia to become a greener and more environmentally friendly nation, but they will also be more expensive. According to Alverd Chankseliani, a representative of the Ministry of Environment Pro-

tection and Rural Development, the production cost of paper bags is higher and, in turn, the prices of the bags will also have to be raised.

But Chankseliani said that the extra cost won’t stop the plans because polyethylene bags are dangerously harmful to the earth. They affect the ecosystem, human health, and the health of all living organisms.

The cost may be higher for the paper version, but Georgia is part of a movement to help stop the production of products and materials that threaten the environment.

With the introduction of the paper bags, Georgia is moving forward positively, and plastic bags are slowly become more and more obsolete.

What’s That?

Cease – stop Circulation – passing or moving around Single-use – one-use Replace – use instead of Fades out – disappears Harmful – bad for, damaging Movement – campaign Threaten – are a danger to, are bad for Obsolete – useless, unwanted

Food for Thought  Why are plastic bags bad for the environment?  How can we use fewer bags in our shopping? What can we use instead?  What else can we, people, do to help the environment?

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EDUCATION

Meskhetian Terrace Celebrates First Grape Harvest in 400 Years

Photo: Caucasus Business Week

BY SAMANTHA GUTHRIE

T

he company Vardzia Terraces has harvested the first vintage of a rare variety of grapes in the Meskheti area of Georgia. The winery hosted a small festival that included rides in classic cars – “Peaks of Caucasus” pilots, local residents

and journalists.

In modern Georgia, the major wine producing region is Kakheti, but traditionally the Meskheti region was also known for its wine. Many centuries ago, viticulture was well developed, but by the end of the 16th century, the practice had been abandoned in the Meskhetian Terrace area, and traditional local grape varieties were nearly lost to history.

In 2015, the joint efforts of Geor-

What’s That?

Harvested – picked from the trees, collected (fruit, crops) Hosted - organized Abandoned – forgotten, lost Resurrected – brought back to life Restored – brought back, fixed, made new Revived – brought back to life Reposition – make again, put back in place Enhance – make better, make more beautiful

GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

Info Box Centuries ago, viticulture was well-developed in Meskheti, evidenced by the centuries-old grape varieties and unique stone grape presses, called ‘Satsnakheli.’

At the end of the 16th century, the last grape harvest was arranged on the Meskhetian terraces. Afterwards, many ancient varieties of Meskhetian wine were destroyed due to war and other difficulties.

“The varieties of grape were preserved in only a few villages. We discovered and identified these grape species and then multiplied them with the help of the Saguramo Scientific Research Center. Today, 27 endemic species have been restored and we already have a harvest. Now we will produce trial wine from these grapes and will discover their characteristics and work out the future perspectives of each kind,” said the Executive Director of Vardzia Terraces, Giorgi Natenadze. gian businessmen Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze and Meskhetian grape collector Giorgi Natenadze, resurrected the terraces of King Tamar (c. 1160-1213) in the village of Khizabavra. After years of hard work, 12 hectares of historical terraces have been restored, where 24 rare varieties of Meskhetian vine were planted.

There are plans to plant 11 more hectares in the area, according to Vardzia Terraces Executive Director Giorgi Mshvidobadze.

Levan Ujmjuridze and Giorgi Natenadze have revived more than 20 varieties of grapes at the Saguramo

Scientific Research Center. The new varieties of Vardzia Terraces began with such unique varieties as “Tamar Vazi,” “Jvari,” “Meskhi Green,” “Meskhuri Oval White,” “Black Oval,” “Meskhi Horse White,” “Meskhetian Chitiskarskheta,” “Horseshoes of Black Horse,” “Akhaltsikhe White,” and “Black Aspiring Cap.” Next year, the company plans to work on restoring the region’s traditional architecture to reposition the area as an integral part of Georgian winemaking and enhance the development of the SamtskheJavakheti region as a tourist destination.

Food for Thought  Why is it important to protect history?  Why is wine and grape-growing good for Georgia?

EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY OCTOBER 2018

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Get Caught Reading-Sakartvelo Awards Eager Readers Info Box Get Caught Reading is a global campaign to promote the fun of reading books for all ages. First launched in the US in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers and now managed there by Every Child a Reader with support from the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation, Get Caught Reading encourages youth to pick up a book and talk about it… again and again. The campaign also aims to promote reading in schools and provides support to teachers and librarians.

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

O

n September 29, a ceremony was held in the National Library of Georgia in Tbilisi to award young readers who had participated in the Summer 2018 Get Caught Reading-Sakartvelo campaign. The campaign is organized to encourage and popularize reading and to support the new generation in literacy.

Maya Sulava and Carolyn Rice are the co-founders of Get Caught Reading- Sakartvelo. Carolyn has lived in Georgia for 10 years working as an English teacher, while Maya is the director of the Integrated School of English Language.

To participate in the campaign, children had to read an English book

and make a short video talking the book, take a photo of themselves reading in an interesting place and take a photo of their favorite quote from a book, then send everything to the campaign’s facebook page.

45 pupils participated, the majority of whom came from Adjara, followed by Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tbilisi, then other regions of Georgia. The best were chosen by an international jury of Georgian and American teachers and librarians, who followed strict criteria, giving points based on performance and presentation.

The winners were: 6-8 years: 1st place Alina Shainidze, 2nd place Mariam Tsetskhladze.

9-12 years: 1st place Giorgi Turmanidze, 2nd place Mariam Beridze.

13-15 years: 1st place Keti Tsintsadze, 2nd place Guga Mamiseishvili /

Food for Thought

Tornike Abashidze.

16-18 years: 1st place Nini Kukhalashvili, 2nd place Giorgi Muzashvili.

“We had a lot of readers this year and we want to congratulate all of them,” said Carolyn Rice. “We hope to run a second campaign after the New Year, ideally with Georgian books and with the support of Georgian publishers. Keep an eye on our facebook page for more details.”

“I’m really happy to be a part of this project,” said Alexandre Lortkipanidze, well-known presenter of

TV show ‘Wignebis Taro’ (Bookshelf), which actively encourages children to read and for school teams from around the country to compete. “The children are great! The fact that they read and made an effort to review those books this summer sets them as examples to their generation. I always emphasize the importance of reading to expand knowledge, awareness of the world and imagination. I’ll be happy to support the campaign in future.”

What’s That?

Encourage – push someone to do something Literacy – ability to read Majority – most Global – worldwide Promote – advertise, make popular Launched – started

 Did you read books this summer? Why (not)?  Why is reading good? What can you learn by reading?  If you could choose to play a computer game, read a book, or go out and spend time with your friends, which would you choose and why?

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