On July 15-19 and 25-29, 2022 MESA10, in cooperation with Kartlosi NGO from Gori (Georgia) and organised for the representatives of local and regional administration two rounds of workshops.

The first round took place between 15-19, 2022 in municipalities along the administrative border line (ABL), namely in Sachkhere, Oni, Gori, Khashuri and Dusheti. The workshops were dedicated to regional development, application of green innovations and the use of renewable resources at the municipal level, social entrepreneurship and social agriculture in the context of regional development.

During the first round of workshops, in Sachkhere and Oni, representatives of the Banska Bystrica self-governing region also transferred their experience with the abovementioned topics. The region of Banska Bystrica in many aspects faces similar challenges as the Shida Kartli region in Georgia. The region of Banska Bystrica has a specific development plan, which is currently being implemented, which focuses on the development of tourism with respect for the environment and general branding of the region for the support of local small businesses, and on the inclusion of disadvantaged groups in economic activity. Moreover, the two regions also share the challenge with the transition from the traditional industries of the past century to the knowledge-based market economy (e.g. ending the extraction of mineral resources and the transition to the knowledge-based economy, preparing the workforce for this transition).

During the first round of workshops, the speakers were the following:

Prof. Ľuboš Jurík, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra: Green Innovations and renewable resources at the municipal level

Associated  Prof. Marcela Chreneková, Slovak Agricultural University: Regional development, social agriculture and social entrepreneurship 

Ján Cingel, Founder and CEO, Strategic Analysis: Export opportunities of local Georgian SMEs’ products to the EU market

Ondrej Lunter, TheVice-Governor of Banska Bystrica Region

Matúš Hollý, Director of the Office of Banska Bystrica Self-Governing Region,

Olga Dorokhia, Kartlosi NGO, Georgia: Capacity building and local government resilience

The second round took place between 25-29, 2022 in Sachkhere, Oni, Kaspi, Khashuri and Gori. The workshops were dedicated to encouraging more active involvement of women and young people in local administration processes and the development of capacities of local media.

During the second round of workshops, the speakers were the following:

Patrik Pokorný on the Development of local media and local journalism based on experience with Trnava Live

Tímea Stránska from the People in Need Slovakia on Activating women for more intensive involvement in local government decision-making processes,

Monika Krištofčáková, from the Youth Council of Slovakia on Research-based Activating Methods from Slovakia

Jan Cingel from the Strategic Analysis on Functioning of advisory bodies of local self-governments and administration – youth councils, a case study from Slovakia

Nana Gogohia from Kartlotsi NGO on the key role of women in ABL communities – challenges and solutions led by

Local visibility of the project:

სლოვაკეთის გამოცდილება ევროკავშირისგან მიღებულ სიკეთეებზე აგროსფეროში – სემინარი გორში | NEO TV

გორის მუნიციპალიტეტის მერია – príspevky | Facebook