18-May-15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Regional Civil Society Network (R-CSN) Launches a Civic Week

with over 60 Public Events to Foster Civic Engagement throughout the Country
Georgia 18 May, 2015 Today, Civil Development Agency (CiDA) and the 55 members of the Regional Civil
Society Network (R-CSN) join efforts for the take-off of the eventful Civic Week aimed at galvanizing interaction
between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and citizens, the private sector, public institutions, media, and among
regional and Tbilisi-based CSOs.
Over 60 public discussions, volunteer drives, presentations, town-hall meetings, free service provision initiatives, and
experience-sharing discussions will take place in different parts of the country to promote increased participation of
citizens in CSO activities, highlight key public concerns in the regions, invite citizens to participate in volunteer
initiatives, and promote collaboration between CSOs and private sector representatives.
Regional CSOs will Present their Work to citizens through visiting universities and meeting students, organizing youth
conferences, disseminating informational brochures, organizing photo exhibitions, participating in TV and radio talkshows, organizing flash mobs, and inviting citizens to Open Door days.
Regional and Tbilisi-based CSOs will Share Expertise and Innovative Approaches to promote effective and creative
solutions to civil society challenges and improve advocacy for public interest causes.
National business companies will meet with their regional counterparts and CSOs to discuss the issue of Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) and further develop relationships between CSOs and the private sector.
Multispectral stakeholders, i.e. CSOs, media, local authorities, businesses, and citizens will co-organize and engage in
Policy Forums to discuss regional and national priorities.
Regional CSOs will organize Volunteer Initiatives and Volunteer Drives to recruit and engage citizens in street
actions, charity events, service delivery initiatives, and other volunteer actions in support of vulnerable groups including
those in the buffer zones.
The Civic Week will end on May 27 with an official founding of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Club in Tbilisi.
The Club will be founded by businesses and CSOs and aim at promoting CSR culture, encouraging sustained CSR
initiatives, and strengthening partnerships between CSOs and the business community.
The Civic Week is organized as part of the USAID-funded EWMI Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for
Sustainability (ACCESS) by its local implementing partners, Civil Development Agency (CiDA).
For the detailed calendar of the Civic Week, please, visit https://www.facebook.com/EWMI.ACCESS?fref=nf or www.cso.ge.
The Civic Week is organized by Civil Development Agency (CiDA) in the framework of the East-West Management Institutes (EWMI)
Advancing CSO Capacities and Engaging Society for Sustainability (ACCESS) project, funded by United States Agency for International
Development (USAID). EWMI ACCESS thanks M-TAG for its support in disseminating information about the Civic Week through its regional
media partners.
#5 Marjanishvili St., Third Floor Tbilisi 0102 Georgia Tel/: (+995 32) 2202 444 www.facebook.com/EWMI.ACCESS
. # 5, 0102