Since Georgia and Armenia gained their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union the countries have become important partners. The partnership between the two countries is logical and does not have any alternative, therefore increasing involvement of the civil society in the process, improving information exchange and planning respective joint activities would make the bilateral relationships more stable.
Aghrevan (the Republic of Armenia) hosted a working meeting between representatives of the Georgian and Armenian civil societies on 6-9 February 2010 to consider bilateral cooperation issues. The meeting was held under the joint project of the Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) and Eurasia Partnership Foundation – Armenia – ‘Armenia Georgia Civil Society Dialogue‘. Participants came up with recommendations and ideas for joint initiatives during the three-day meeting.
In 2011 Eurasia Partnership Foundation -Armenia and OSGF further supported the above mentioned format of meetings of civil society leaders as a platform for dialogue launched between the civil societies of the two countries. NGO activists and representatives of the academic circles, the field of culture and journalists were involved in the process.
The meeting held in Tbilisi on 16-18 April, 2011 focused on issues of bilateral interests, scope of cooperation and ways of reaching priority goals. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss further the proposals advanced during the Aghrevan meeting held in February 2010, develop joint initiatives and find ways of raising funds and inform donors.
The dialogue of civil societies of Armenia and Georgia focused on the following spheres of cooperation:
- 1. Civil Society;
2. Media;
3. Culture, science and studies;
4. Coastal regions;
5. Business.