Issue #1275

Issue no: 1275

• DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020 • PUBLISHED WEEKLY

FOCUS

ON BOOSTED RELATIONS

NATO FMs approved an updated Substantial NATO-Georgia package at the Ministerial meeting in Brussels this week

PAGE 2

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In this week’s issue...

Georgia to Publish Anthology of Contemporary Israeli Theater Plays NEWS PAGE 2

The Great Reset – Blessed Are the Believers POLITICS PAGE 4

Austrian Development Agency & CENN Reveal Three Winners of the Niko Ketskhoveli School Awards SOCIETY PAGE 8

Carrefour Continues Active Involvement in Red Cross Campaign to Support Socially Vulnerable Elderly SOCIETY PAGE 9

Hospitality Industry Demands Gov't Support to Survive the Pandemic

R

epresentatives of the Georgian hospitality industry have released an open letter to Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and the Minister of Economy Natia Turnava, specifying the extremely serious problems the industry is facing during the coronavirus pandemic, and expressing their concern as to a further aggravation of the situation as a result of the tightened and expanded restrictions.

The signatories of the letter claim that given the current epidemiological situation, they are trying to understand the government's decision to close food establishments in an aim to show civil liability and prevent the spread of the virus.

They claim the current situation is catastrophic for the industry.

"Once the restrictions are lifted, 80% of food establishments will go bankrupt and most will no longer be able to resume operations," they state.

Based on the above, the industry representatives appeal to the government, "to save the hospitality industry during this pandemic and to promote economic activity and offer a unified vision for problem-solving, where the balance between private and public interests is maximized."

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WE’AR ART: Samoseli Qartuli, Maia Bakradze CULTURE PAGE 11 Prepared for Georgia Today Business by

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The initiative has been signed by 35 food establishments so far.

The open letter reads: Mr. Giorgi, We are addressing you on behalf of the hospitality industry in a letter initiated by Georgian restaurant, cafe-bar and food establishments on problematic issues being faced during the global pandemic.

First, we would like to inform you that the hospitality industry (hereinafter referred to as the "industry") has faced extremely serious problems during the pandemic, which was initially due to the closure of the country's borders and the shortage of tourists, and now due to the tightening of isolation and quarantine rules in the large cities of the country (the so-called "lockdown").

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2

NEWS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

FM: Updated Substantial NATO-Georgia Package Approved at Ministerial

BY ANA DUMBADZE

N

ATO Foreign Ministers and Georgia approved an updated Substantial NATO-Georgia Package at the Ministerial Meeting in Brussels on December 1 and 2, which further strengthens support for Georgia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani told IMEDI TV. "The essential NATO-Georgia package, which has been updated and strengthened, was approved at the Ministerial.

The old package was adopted at the Wales Summit in 2014, which included 14 programs that strengthen Georgia's defense capabilities and bring it closer to NATO. This decision is a step forward and a tangible result. Last year, when we hosted the NATO-Georgia Commission in Batumi, it was decided that the exist-

ing package needed to be updated, and this was crowned today when we acquired new specific components for this package," said David Zalkaliani.

The Minister pointed out that the essential package contains strengthened

Corona Update

T

he coronavirus cases detected in Georgia on a daily basis continue to rise, while the capital of Tbilisi still maintains a leading position in terms of virus spread, with no less than 1000 cases identified per day.

However, the number of recoveries is also high, which gives the population a spark of hope.

On Saturday, it was announced that renowned Georgian actor Kakhi Kavsadze had been diagnosed with the new coronavirus. The 85-year-old actor was hospitalized at the First University Clinic in Tbilisi and put on a ventilator. His condition is still critical.

Georgia’s Minister of Finance Ivane Machavariani has also been infected with the virus, yet his condition is mild and he continues to work remotely from home.

On Monday, the country recorded 3,216 new infection cases, 3,937 recoveries and

military components, which will serve to strengthen Georgia's defense capabilities.

"This package primarily envisages strengthening Georgia's defense capabilities, in particular: further strengthening

the NATO-Georgia Joint Training Center and expanding its capabilities and more involvement of NATO partners in the issue of Black Sea security, which involves more "port calls" [entry of NATO ships into Georgian ports], enhanced exercises and alignment with the standards of our naval alliance. The updated package envisages secure communication, as it is important for us to have secure communication channels with NATO, while in today's world there are cyber-attacks and various hybrid threats," he said.

He added that considering the coronavirus pandemic, the essential package includes military-medical cooperation between Georgian and NATO partners.

At a press conference after the Ministerial, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that relations with Georgia, including in the context of Black Sea security, are deepening and strengthening, both through concrete practical actions and political support.

"We have a training center in Georgia, I myself have visited this center and I have seen how Georgian and allied officers work together. We cooperate in the exchange of air and radar information and in the fight against hybrid threats.

The Allies stand ready to provide additional practical support to Georgia in a number of areas. One of NATO's 2030 goals is to strengthen our partnership by working with countries like Georgia.

This is the message from today's meeting," Stoltenberg said.

The Ministerial was held in Brussels over two days. A number of the parties involved in it, due to the coronavirus pandemic, attended remotely.

The Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) is a set of initiatives endorsed at the September 2014 Wales Summit, aimed at strengthening Georgia’s defense capabilities and developing closer security cooperation and interoperability with NATO Members.

of Georgia, an intensive testing program will begin throughout the country. At the same time, a special task force has been established with the instruction of the Prime Minister of Georgia to prepare the country for the vaccination stage and uninterrupted logistical support of COVID vaccination.

The state will administer about 20,000 tests a day, which will be supplemented by private lab indicators. Further, the application of antigen-based tests will be extended, which generates a response in almost 20 minutes.

Citizens with no means of self-isolation will be provided with a stay at a quarantine hotel by the state.

Image source: Reuters

37 deaths. Of the new cases identified, 1,662 were confirmed in Tbilisi, 313 in Adjara and 517 in Imereti. These three locations are where the majority of the new cases are being detected throughout the country.

GEORGIA GETS READY FOR THE VACCINE On the same day, the Head of Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control, Amiran Gamkrelidze, announced that Georgia was expected to receive the coronavirus vaccine either in March or April 2021 via the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (Covax).

Gamkrelidze added that Georgia has already ordered vaccines for 700,000 persons (1,400,000 doses, as one person must be vaccinated twice), and will pay around $17 million.

Georgia is currently negotiating with individual companies to buy coronavirus vaccines directly from them.

Gamkrelidze added that Georgia is

currently experiencing its peak of the coronavirus infection, noting that the duration of the peak depends on a myriad of factors, including observation of the recently imposed restrictions.

On Tuesday, Georgia reported 3,759 new cases of coronavirus, 36 deaths and 3,574 recoveries.

"Of the 3,759 cases identified today, 1,595 were confirmed in Tbilisi, 623 in Adjara, 392 in Imereti, 139 in Kvemo Kartli, 127 in Shida Kartli, 152 in Guria, 237 in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, 253 in Kakheti, 126 in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, 72 in Samtskhe-Javakheti, and 43 in RachaLechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti,” announced Berdia Sichinava, Deputy Head of the Task Force under the Interagency Coordination Council.

On Wednesday, the country had 4033 new cases of coronavirus, 4 061 recoveries and 39 deaths.

20,000 TESTS A DAY

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On Thursday, it was announced that within the scope of the two-month COVID restrictions imposed by the Government

CHANGES TO POST-ENTRY QUARANTINE RULES The Coordination Council has ruled to alter the procedures of entry to the country for citizens of Georgia. Namely, a citizen of Georgia who arrives without a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test will no longer be required to stay at a quarantine hotel, but will have to self-isolate for 12 days. Citizens of Georgia who arrive with a negative PCR test obtained within the past 72 hours will be obliged to self-isolate for 8 days.

THE LATEST STATS As of Thursday, 4,260 new confirmed cases of the virus had been identified.

The total number of confirmed cases detected since the outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic in the country amounts to 147,636. In the 24-hour period from Wednesday-Thursday, 2,947 people recovered, and the total number of recoveries increased to 124,568.

"Unfortunately, we have 45 new cases of coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours.

Since February 26, , we have seen a total of 1,387 deaths,” the Interagency Coordination Council announced.

Of the 4,260 new cases of infection detected Thursday, 1,676 cases were reported in Tbilisi, 525 in Adjara, 591 in Imereti, 351 in Kvemo Kartli, 294 in Shida Kartli, 131 in Guria, in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti - 274, in Kakheti - 166, in MtskhetaMtianeti - 134, in Samtskhe-Javakheti 88, in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti - 30.

Georgia to Publish Anthology of Contemporary Israeli Theater Plays

T

he Embassy of Israel is proud to announce an exciting project jointly with Sulakauri Publishing & Institute of Israeli Drama: the publication (in Georgian) of an anthology of contemporary Israeli theater plays, including: • The Secrets – by Hadar Galron • Oh My God – by Anat Gov • The Revolutionaries - by Dalia Shimko & Yosefa Even Shoshan • True Love Ltd. - by Sharon Stark • Days of Atonement - by Hanna Azou-

lay-Hasfari All five plays were written by female Israeli playwrights and deal with a variety of contemporary issues, including the relevance of the institution of marriage to the 21st century, sexuality and gender, the place of the individual within a politicized society, religion vs. secularism, and the role of women in a maledominated environment.

The anthology will be published in 2021 and the Israeli Embassy is planning to initiate a series of readings, online presentations and partial and full productions.

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4

POLITICS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

The Great Reset – Blessed Are the Believers OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE

I

feel like a lightweight dwarfish nonentity when I compare myself to the big shots like the rich and famous ‘Davos Men,’ the world’s movers and shakers, as they are often alluded to by international mass media. This is an appellation once given by the well-known American political scientist Sam Huntington to the global elite of affluent and powerful people, who view themselves as utterly globalized, because they have managed to fly far beyond national restrictions and interests that sound archaic and immaterial in a differently operating modern world.

The next, 51st, World Economic Forum is being scheduled to take place in January 2021 at its habitual venue of Davos, Switzerland. Klaus Schwab, the WEF founder and Executive Chairman, together with his numerous and able staff, is planning to put together the internet connection of young men and women from hundreds of cities all over the world to virtually participate in the Conference for the discussion of our planet’s most challenging issues. As the forum organizers put it, following the pandemic, the old system of handling

the world is no longer viable to guarantee survival, and we have to find ways to build new structures to make human lives safer and more tolerable on earth.

They call it the ‘window of opportunity’ which needs to be opened wide to give a chance for a ‘Great Reset’.

One of the foremost problems to be argued at the meeting of the worldwide decision makers is going to be climate change, which is fed to global citizenry as one of the biggest disasters of our time. It could very well be, but the conservative part of the world would not agree with the viability of this pattern of thinking. That’s why the upcoming world forum makes a lot of sense in trying to get us to a vigorous conclusion, which will hopefully be approximated to the truth as closely as possible. After all, this is going to be another international attempt to harmonize human life with the laws of our Mother Nature, although it remains somewhat vague if this is achievable when so much damage has already been done.

The question is whether decarbonizing the world economy is the best way out when this purported panacea is still questionable. Nobody argues that a better economic system is a strong prerequisite for introducing a fairer social life on Earth, but also, nobody can be certain about the most sustainable ways to

Image source: AFP via Getty Images

achieve the desirable.

Will the Great Reset help? It could, but as always, there might always be a stray fly in the ointment. No, I’m not trying to be a wet blanket: I simply have a habit of taking future doings with greater caution than others. Reinventing the world, if it must be reinvented, is not an easy thing to do, especially overnight, but blessed are the believers!

The forum planners are also talking about the new ‘Social Contract’ that will ‘honor the dignity of every human being’.

Really? I would delightedly go for it, but

I am from Missouri, so to speak, and I can’t help it. They also call the incipient encounter of the powers that be the ‘Twin Summit,’ because it will take place both virtually and in person, which is amazing. The world is becoming more transparent by the hour, but is the ‘more transparent world’ enough a tool to let humankind be fad and clad more efficiently? Quote Mr. Schwab: “COVID-19 has accelerated our transition into the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

We have to make sure that the new technologies in the digital, biological and

physical world remain human-centered and serve society as a whole, providing everyone with fair access.”

The Great Reset was universally supported by the corporate world and most of the nations of our planet, including our little Georgia with umpteen problems of its own, and by those whose financial shoulder is critically indispensable for the forum to carry on with its international agendum, to introduce all those cherished alterations, to re-tailor life on planet Earth, and . . . I wish them well!

PM: Two-Month Restrictions Aim to Allow Us to Continue Normal Life from February

BY ANA DUMBADZE

G

eorgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia made several statements at Thursday's cabinet meeting. In his speech, he touched upon the 2021 budget, the recent NATO Foreign Ministerial, the epidemiological situation in the country and assistance allocated for citizens amid the financial difficulties caused by the economic crisis.

"We have submitted to the Parliament the 2021 budget, a crucially important document which will guide us in 2021 and define the country’s state of affairs in a year’s time," he said.

"The budget is balanced, and the key goal is to fight the pandemic, secure targeted social assistance for the population, support businesses, and prepare the economy for post-crisis recovery.

We developed this budget together with the International Monetary Fund, and this balanced budget covers all basic components necessary to fight against the pandemic and recession. We have

announced a 4th wave of targeted social assistance for citizens and businesses, with a volume of 1 billion 420 mln GEL, of which 280 mln GEL is set aside for 2020 and 1 bln 140 mln for 2021. These sums will be channeled, above all else, toward healthcare, with an additional 450 mln GEL allocated under the next year’s budget and main expenses being COVID treatment, testing, preparation for, procurement of, and implementation of vaccination, and virus spread prevention. For citizen targeted assistance, next year’s budget allocates 540 mln GEL, and 430 mln GEL to support businesses," the

PM noted.

From Thursday, the Revenue Service is accepting applications, PM Gakharia added, and citizens and companies (unregistered, self-employed) who have temporarily lost sources of income should fill in an application in a timely manner in order to enjoy assistance before the New Year.

"Today, we start accepting applications for targeted social assistance to citizens who, as a result of the last two months of restrictions, have temporarily lost their jobs. We must help, and the Finance Ministry has been instructed to issue this assistance before New Year. Citizens must apply to the relevant agencies in a timely manner to receive assistance.

"Next year’s budget also increases pensions, an annual raise enshrined in legislation, so our pensioners will not have to wait from election to election to receive increased pensions. Significant amounts are also allocated for constructing residences for refugees, 103 million GEL. I emphasize that, despite the crisis, financing for infrastructural projects is increasing, and so is the budget of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, in excess of 4 billion GEL. Financing is also increasing for the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Economy, and every other Ministry relevant to the country’s rapid post-crisis economic recovery. The budget is the country’s main financial document, which will be reviewed by Parliament, and it is of vital importance for this review to engage every political force that has received trust from Georgian citizens, and is therefore mandated to take part in debates on a document of systemic importance to the country.

We hope that it will happen in the near future, before New Year, so that we can have interesting, albeit heated, discussions on this budget," he said.

Gakharia pointed out that everyone must comply with the law and imposed restrictions to ensure the fast curbing of community transfer.

"Along with everything else, we should take into account that this two-month plan of restrictions, intensified testing, etc., is aimed at curbing the community transfer rate most efficiently within two months. Of course, we should understand that it is impossible to have a critical reduction in the viral spread within two months, though quick curbing of the community transfer rate was and remains important for us. That is why we should all comply with the law and imposed restrictions to safeguard each other and our elderly. Of course, freedom of expression will not be restricted by anyone, ever. Nevertheless, the requirements set nowadays by the law, epidemiologists and medical doctors are not that difficult to comply with. We may keep our freedom of expression and also comply with the basic rules."

He also commented on the recent NATO Foreign Ministerial and thanked and congratulated Georgia’s Foreign Minister for his successful participation. The Ministerial voiced messages of paramount importance to Georgia, Gakharia added.

"Most importantly, NATO remains committed to continuing its open-door policy, a matter of principal importance to our country. I would like to thank the Foreign Ministers of our friend countries for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity, further enhancing the country’s integration into the North-Atlantic Alliance, and stepping up Georgia’s defense capabilities through practical steps and plans. This is very important to us, because it reaffirms that our partner and friend countries have a correct understanding of Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, and we enjoy their full support," the PM said.

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6

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

Quarantine or Commerce? The Economic Consequences of Counter-Pandemic Tunnel Vision OP-ED BY MICHAEL GODWIN

A

s the nation moves into the grey chill of December, the redeeming joys of gathering with friends and family in a warm restaurant or bar are all but a faded memory. Heavy-handed mandates by the government have closed retail outlets, gathering places, and any respite from the doldrums of winter have been ripped from the people’s hands.

While this is an immense hit on the social life of many, the true casualties are the small businesses that are forced to go to ground. Especially since these restrictions are set to be in force through the holiday season, one of the more economically robust periods of the year.

Where normally tourists and local residents alike are out dining, shopping, and generally driving the consumer end of the economy, this fiscal year, it will be frozen. While the government refuses to label it a “lockdown”, there are few other words to describe the draconian measures being taken against a virus with an extremely low kill ratio. A virus with a 99.1% survival rate among those who contract it, and a statistically 3.84% chance of even being contracted, should not have the control over the country that it does.

The government action is claimed to be backed by science and medical perspectives. However, this is a monochromatic way of looking at things. The economic, social, and security voices have largely been left unheard.

Economically, Georgia is already bleeding from the first battle with restrictions.

With a new round of restrictions comes

Image source: Shutterstock.com

a new round of victims. In the first 10 months of 2020, the Georgian economy has shrunk 5.1%. While a small number on the surface, this is massive for an economy already fighting for every fraction of growth percentage. With the announcement of more restrictions in November, experts are painting a worrisome picture for the future.

This impending collapse of the small business machine that underpins much of the local microeconomics in the large cities is like a rot in the walls. While it may not be seen so clearly now, it will slowly eat away at the structure of the nation. In addition, the loss of livelihoods for the people that own and work in these business will be the catalyst for a social shift.

This social shift, some of which is already being seen, has the potential to be a slippery slope backwards for the country. Many Georgians still remember the socio-economic strife of the 1990s, and with due fear would never wish its return. While this is still a fair way off in the future, it is shifts like we are seeing now that are the first rumblings of its return. The recent string of highprofile robberies is a stark contrast to the calm of the past years. In the first day of December, a hospital meant for the treatment of COVID patients was robbed at gunpoint.

This uptick in crime is only the tip of the incoming iceberg that further restrictions and their harsh enforcement will bring. As people are left with few other

options, many will return to the ways that they know will bring them income.

In addition, violent crime, drug use and alcoholism will begin to set in. People stuck at home, with little motivation and no work, are more likely to resort to alternative means of respite. While there has been a small drug-fueled underworld in Tbilisi for some time, this has largely been kept in strict check by local law enforcement. Now, this will start to grow its influence, with more users turning to its euphoric allure.

This expansion of the criminal world stands to make life increasing harder for local authorities to provide the quality of life and stability to which many have become accustomed. The increased efforts to curb this expansion by the

government will mean more restrictions and more heavy-handed efforts against the people. In return, the people will defy orders and respond with more violent crime, eventually turning on their local law enforcement and government representatives. The future snowball effect of this exchange is bleak.

While the intentions of the government restrictions may be well placed, they are off center when it comes to their effectiveness. Curfews are widely viewed as an unnecessary and misguided attempt to stop movement, as if a virus is set to a timer and only works a graveyard shift.

Mandatory mask-wearing in open public spaces where the effectiveness is virtually nil, and forcing people to wear something that is largely a cosmetic representation of your adherence to regulations is something many would have thought to be something out of a dystopian novel.

The government’s willingness to turn their back on the economic lifelines that fuel the very country they say they are sworn to protect is disheartening. While they attempt to look through the eyes of the medical professional, they ignore the economist, the shopkeeper, the worker, and even the local policeman just trying to keep his childhood district safe from crime. The restrictions and their furtherance are an advancement of a line of rhetoric that only the fiscally illiterate and socio-economically inept would pursue. The best case scenario is to embrace smart and safe practices, and continue to let the economy, the free market, and the strength of the Georgian people, overcome this “pandemic.” The Kartli people of the mountains have weathered far worse, and this foreign invader will not be any exception.

Hospitality Industry Demands Gov't Support to Survive the Pandemic Continued from page 1

Most of the hospitality industry is related to domestic and foreign tourism.

It has been almost a year since the borders of Georgia were closed, and domestic tourism has, in fact, ceased to function, conditioned by the fear of infecting the population with the virus. Although industry members fully comply with the recommendations made by the Government of Georgia to prevent the spread of the virus, the activities of individuals working in restaurants, cafe-bars and other hospitality sectors, whose income is fully related to tourism, have now been suspended or ceased.

The current situation is further aggravated by the regulations of the Government of Georgia “On the Approval of the Rules of Isolation and Quarantine” N322 of the decision on Traffic and Restrictions on Economic Activities, and on November 26, 2020, the amendments made by Government Resolution N699, which imply a virtually complete restriction of economic activity for restaurants and cafes, and a transition to delivery service only. This puts the hospitality industry in a difficult position, as, for our industry, delivery service is actually ineffective and unprofitable.

In addition, we would like to draw attention to the fact that the hospitality industry employs thousands of people who they generate a livelihood for themselves, which was already minimized during the pandemic. It is now forbidden to move, and the costs of moving employees, for the employees themselves and the companies which have no income at all, cannot be provided. Industry members try their best to keep employees and not put them in an extremely difficult situation, although the resources that provide employee retention in the case of restaurants and cafes no longer exist. We consider such an extremely strict restriction

on the operation of restaurants and cafes to be unjustified in the light of the fact that there are no statistics on what extent the visit of consumers to such establishments carries a risk.

Given the current epidemiological situation, we are trying to understand the government's decision to close food establishments, to show civil liability and to prevent the spread of the virus, but the current situation is catastrophic for the industry. Once the restrictions are lifted, 80% of food establishments will go bankrupt and most will no longer be able to resume operations.

Based on the above, we appeal to you in order to save the hospitality industry during the pandemic, and to promote economic activity and offer a unified vision for problem-solving, where the balance between private and public interests is maximized. In particular: During the two-month limitation period from November 2020, the state provide compensation of 50% of the declared salary of people employed in the hospitality sector (numbering up to 300,000).

We also offer the example of other countries and provide the hospitality industry with zero percent long-term loans so that industry representatives can pay salaries at least to employees.

We are ready, in the shortest possible time (maximum 5 days), together with the state, to develop additional regulations to renew the work process in the field of hospitality, and the responsibility for the protection and control of the developed regulations will be borne entirely by the private sector.

Given the situation in the country and the regulations, the hospitality industry is in an extremely difficult situation.

Financial institutions refuse to lend to restaurants and cafes, as well as to those who work there. This action of the banks further worsens the situation of persons working in the field. As a result, compa-

nies are no longer able to borrow and turn over their capital as needed, further hampering their economic activities.

The attitude of the sector is the same towards individuals, the majority of the population has lost their jobs, and many are facing this danger. Based on the above, we ask you to take into account the current difficult situation and the state to become a financial guarantor of the representatives of the hospitality industry, both legal entities and individuals, with the banking sector.

Since hospitality revenues are reduced to zero, it is necessary to take loans to continue post-deregulation activities, which include purchasing highly expensive products, paying salaries, paying utility bills or losses, debts and other expenses.

Additionally, in conditions where banks do not immediately consider the applications of the representatives of the hospitality sector, we appeal to you to take these into consideration and to support us in negotiating with private financial institutions to develop a project for low-interest loans. Also, in case of reviewing/subsidizing the loan obligations of the representatives of the hospitality sector, the personal loan obligations of the founders of restaurants or cafes / bars should be considered individually, so that, if the purpose of these loans goes to the money spent on restaurants/cafes / bars, these liabilities to be included in the loan package to cover business liabilities.

Most of the development of the Georgian economy is related to tourism. As a result of our selfless work, the hospitality industry in the country is at the highest level. The existence of the hospitality component is one of the most important factors for the development of the country's economy, culture, agriculture and tourism. Each person working in the hospitality industry contributes millions of GEL to the state budget every year, which we consider as our obliga-

tion to serve the development of the Georgian economy. We have been fulfilling this obligation in good faith for years, but this time we need support from the state us to be able to contribute to the state budget again. Given the extremely difficult economic situation, we ask you to consider the issue of easing the tax burden for one year, in particular, the reduction of the VAT rate for the hospitality industry. We also express our readiness to present our visions on this issue.

Given the dire employment situation in the country and in order to maximize the retention of employees, we appeal to you again to make us eligible to use the Income Tax Subsidy Program for at least one year.

In the conditions of limited activity, we are not able to conduct full economic activity, the existing costs in the field and the consumers do not correspond to each other, and accordingly, we appeal to impose a grace period for legal entities on all types of utility bills.

We believe that with the strategy we have initiated, and in case of establishing the above-suggested preferential measures, the hospitality industry will be able to save its own economic activities under strict regulations and beyond, and retain employees with families to support. Please take into account the current extremely difficult situation and have the state support the private sector so that the outcome does not turn out to be even worse for the country and its population. We would like to positively assess the work process started by the state regarding the subsidy of income tax and the negotiation of giving lowinterest loans with the financial sector.

We request that this to be done in limited time so that the private sector can benefit from this relief as soon as possible.

We welcome the appointment of coordination meetings and the joint discus-

sion of these issues, which will facilitate communication between private and public structures.

The signatory organizations fully share the content of this announcement and express their readiness to conduct the joint work process.

Sincerely, Members of the Hospitality Industry Initiative: 1. Restaurant "Black Lion" 2. Cafe "Leila" 3. Cafe "Litera" 4. Restaurant "Culinarium Khasheria" 5. Taqueria “Tacos” 6. Restaurant "Lisi Lake" 7. Food Facility Agency “Gastronaut” 8. Restaurant "Keto and Kote" 9. Restaurant "Chveni" 10. Restaurant "Keti's Bistro" 11. Restaurant "Veris Duqani" 12. Restaurant "Dining Room" 13. Restaurant "Z10" 14. Pizzeria "Pazza" 15. Restaurant "Suliko" 16. Restaurant "l'Eclair de Génie” 17. Restaurant "Veriko" 18. Restaurant "Onore" 19. Cafe "Mziuri" 20. Georgian Culinary Federation 21. Restaurant "Barbarestan" 22. Restaurant "Zala" 23. Restaurant "Tamtaki" 24. Cafe "Coffee Lab" 25. Wine bar "G Vino" 26. Restaurant "Kakheli" 27. Restaurant "Tsiskvili Group" 28. Cafe "Kala" 29. Restaurant "HB" 30. Bar "Acid Bar" 31. Restaurant "Sofia Melnikova's Fantastic Douqan" 32. Restaurant "Pastorali" 33. Restaurant "Shushabandi" 34. Restaurant "Suzy Wong" 35. Restaurant "Tabla" The government has yet to respond.

BUSINESS

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

7

THE ISET ECONOMIST A BLOG ABOUT ECONOMICS AND THE SOUTH CAUCAUS

www.iset-pi.ge/blog

The ISET Policy Institute (ISET-PI, www.iset-pi.ge) is an independent think-tank associated with the International School of Economics at TSU (ISET). Our blog carries economic analysis of current events and policies in Georgia and the South Caucasus region ranging from agriculture, to economic growth, energy, labor markets and the nexus of economics, culture and religion. Thought-provoking and fun to read, our blog posts are written by international faculty teaching at ISET and recent graduates representing the new generation of Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian economists.

Food Security & COVID-19 in Georgia

BY IA KATSIA

F

ood supply systems are crucial to the economies of most developing countries, supplying the largest share of food production, and constituting livelihoods and a key source of income for the majority of the population (FAO, 2020). It is therefore vital to maintain the steady flow of goods and services required from local and international food supply chains to ensure the health of the population, and to protect their incomes and livelihoods. The current COVID-19 pandemic has threatened the food security of many developing countries, including Georgia.

In order to lessen the adverse impacts of the pandemic, keep food prices stable, and to reduce input prices for farmers, the Government of Georgia has subsidized the import of nine food products (pasta, buckwheat, vegetable oil, sugar, wheat, wheat flour, milk powder, and beans); purchased additional stocks of sugar, vegetable oil, and pasta; and developed an anti-crisis plan, “Caring for Farmers and Agriculture,” offering farmers direct assistance and sectorial support. However, COVID-19 still poses significant risks to the food security in Georgia.

FOOD SECURITY INDICATORS According to FAO, food security is food availability, food access, stability of supplies and biological utilization. Examin-

in its neighboring countries. Therefore, on average, food consumption is generally sufficient in simple calorific terms.

It appears that over the years this indicator is, slowly, increasing for Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, between 20172019, Georgia had the lowest value in the past 10 years. Although there is no more recent data for the indicator, it is likely the rate worsened still under the pandemic.

ACCESS TO FOOD The income of populations, reflected by gross domestic product (GDP), plays an important role in relative accessibility to food. As can be seen in Table 2, comparatively, Georgia was doing fairly well in 2019.

However, COVID-19 has affected the Georgian economy via reductions in FDI, export of goods and services, and remittances. In addition, uncertainties caused by the pandemic and containment measures have hit consumption and domestic investment. As a result, the reduction in aggregate demand, combined with increased production costs from pandemic-related constraints, has led to negative GDP growth. According to Geostat, the preliminary estimate of real GDP growth in September stands at -0.7%, while the real GDP growth estimate for the first nine months of 2020 is -5%.

Aside from economic access, as represented by income, physical accessibility is also an important determinant to access to food. The movement of foodstuffs via international trade was par-

Table 1. Average dietary energy supply adequacy

Indicator Average dietary energy supply adequacy (%, 20172019)

Armenia Azerbaijan

127

Georgia

129

Upper-middle income economies

114

128

Source: FAOSTAT, 2020

ing how food security indicators have performed in each dimension during the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia proves interesting. However, due to the FAO’s irregular data collection, the most recent data for each indicator was collected across different years. Furthermore, the data for certain important indicators is not available for Georgia. Nevertheless, we have tried to assess the implications of the pandemic on Georgian food security based on the latest available figures.

AVAIBILITY OF FOOD One indicator measuring food availability is the average dietary energy supply adequacy presented below (Table 1).

The dietary energy supply (kcal/capita/ day) is calculated at the national level to serve as an estimate of the calories from foods available for human consumption. The average dietary energy supply adequacy is over 100% in Georgia and

ticularly affected by the lockdown measures, which resulted in the shortage of certain major commodities on the international and local markets. Thus, Georgia’s notable import dependency and inaccessible transport infrastructure translated into higher-priced imported goods.

As Georgia is a net importer of food commodities, disruptions in the supply chains further increased food prices.

Moreover, depreciation of the Georgian Lari placed further upward pressure on prices. During the first months of the pandemic in Georgia, food prices significantly increased year-on-year, the main explanation being the weakening of the Lari against the US dollar; depreciating by 15.8% between March-May 2020 compared to March-May 2019. The GEL further continued to depreciate relative to the USD, with the average GEL/USD exchange rate in October 2020

Table 2: Gross domestic product per capita

Indicator Gross domestic product per capita, 2019 (in purchasing power equivalent, constant 2017 international $) Source: FAOSTAT, 2020

Armenia

13,654

Azerbaijan

14,404

Georgia

15,014

Uppermiddle income economies

16,945

being 3.22, compared to 2.97 in October 2019 (The National Bank of Georgia, 2020).

FOOD STABILITY Another stability indicator is food production variability, an extremely important indicator for Georgia, especially during a pandemic. In 2007, the indicator was 32.2 in Georgia, and thereafter it maintained a decreasing trend, which is a positive tendency since the lower the variability the better. However, due to pandemic, the indicator is expected to have since increased.

Disruptions to food supply chains, as discussed above, have affected the stability of global and local food supply and access. The export restrictions placed on staple commodities has led to their higher prices. Even though most pandemic-related food export restrictions were temporary, the risk still remains

their data from Georgia reveals that 1% of children suffer from moderate or severe wasting; 6% of children under 5 are overweight; 6% suffer from moderate or severe stunting; and 2% of children are moderately or severely underweight.

While, compared to other countries, Georgia performed relatively well before the pandemic based on these indicators, the situation is expected to have worsened due to the virus and the current economic situation.

STRENGTHENING POLICY RESPONCE In order to ensure food security during shocks like a pandemic, it is recommended that policy-makers focus on the following areas: • Invest in food supply chains to ensure unhindered movement of food within and across national boundaries, and facilitate food system innovations. Given

Table 3: Per capita food production variability

Indicator Per capita food production variability ($, 2015), (constant 2004-2006 thousand int $ per capita)

Armenia

Azerbaijan

32.1

5.7

Georgia

16.7

Uppermiddle income economies

2.6

Source: FAOSTAT, 2020

that countries may impose new export restrictions (Espitia et al., 2020). Food system stability is also affected by such increased food prices and the ongoing economic uncertainty, and as currencies are affected, it creates a further risk to stability in global and local food markets.

Furthermore, uncertainty over the evolution of the pandemic, and restrictive measures, influences ability and willingness to invest in the agri-food sector (UNCTAD, 2020b).

FOOD UTILIZATION The utilization indicators focus on children under 5 years of age, with three indicators concerning stunting, wasting, and being underweight, however, these indicators have not been recently updated in the FAO database.

Nevertheless, UNICEF Georgia has published the indicators for 2018, and

that social distancing and mobility restrictions may be in place for many months, governments, development partners, and microfinance institutions should

marketing, and distribution phases; encourage cooperation between the government and development partners to support adoption of innovation in the food supply chain through investment in hardware and software infrastructure, and enabling a business and commerce environment for both SMEs and large companies eager to play their part in food security during the pandemic and recovery; • Promote inter-regional trade to reduce risks, incentivize investment, and build food market resilience. The easiest market access, together with low transportation cost for most of the finished goods, is to countries that are geographically nearby. This natural advantage has to be nurtured with transport infrastructure and appropriate policies in order to increase the degree of trade integration; • Recognize the importance of local, domestic food markets for smallholders and, with regards to these types of markets, strengthen national capacities for food security monitoring and analysis; invest in early collecting, analyzing, and publishing data on food security and nutritional health status to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policy response; • Recognize the need for initiatives that address the constraints faced by women and youth, by promoting opportunities and facilitating their access to resources.

This blog has been produced within CARE Caucasus “COVID19 response and adaptation project”, funded by CARE International Emergency Relief Fund.

Table 4: Percentage of children under 5 years of age affected by wasting

Indicator

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Georgia

Percentage of children under 5 years of age affected by wasting

4.4 (FAO,2016)

3.2 (FAO,2013)

1 (UNICEF,2018)

Uppermiddle income economies 1.8

Source: FAO 2020, UNICEF 2020

seek ways to stimulate innovative and safe food delivery systems, particularly those that create jobs; • Mobilize new investments to address key food supply bottlenecks at the production, collection, storage, processing,

The document has been created in close cooperation of ISET and CARE Caucasus teams. However, its contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CARE International.

8

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

Austrian Development Agency & CENN Reveal Three Winners of the Niko Ketskhoveli School Awards responsibility. Read on to find out more about the exceptional work these young people have been carrying out, their emotions and impressions.

DUISI PUBLIC SCHOOL

M

eet Georgia’s Young Leaders Making a Difference in their Communities!

Political campaigns for decades now have been stating that every voice counts, yet, we only partially realize how big of a role our individual actions can play in shaping our own environment for the better and for that of course every small action counts. In 2015, CENN, together with co-organizers, established the Niko Ketskhoveli School Award, which teaches and encourages pupils to carry out various environmental and social activities. For young people in the country the Niko Ketskhoveli School Prize is more than just a competition of eco-clubs: it is a continuous process of acquiring new skills and opportunities and striving towards personal growth and making a positive change. The competition is based on values like solidarity, cooperation, and owning up to our responsibility towards the environment.

The Niko Ketskhoveli Award Ceremony

was one of the rare events not cancelled or postponed this year and its final event was held in a semi-online format. CENN revealed this year’s best eco-clubs among the 370 active schools registered in the competition.

Throughout the year, eco-clubs of schools across the nation that enter the project, carry out series of environmental or social activities, including largescale tree planting events, landfill closures, social assistance for people with disabilities ampng others. The schools are assessed and evaluated by an independent jury and awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places.

The final of the Niko Ketskhoveli School Award was held on the Austrian National Day and opend up by the Ambassador himself, Thomas Mülmann. Among the winners were The Duisi, Akhalsopeli and Tserovani public schools, each awarded cash prizes in the form of grants.

In addition, partner organizations named their favorite eco-clubs.

The students say being a finalist means both joy and a tremendous sense of

The winners of the competition, Duisi public school surprised everyone with their outsanding efforts on social and envrionmental issues in their communities, despite the fact that they joined the competition late and were also faced with the difficulties posed by the pandemic, they quickly and swiftly adopted their approaches to a given, and much challenging situation. The children approached the problems with a clear, new perspective, and played a major role in tackling the pandemic crisis in the valley: the eco-club managed to secure funding from several projects and purchased large quantities of fabric to sew masks, after which they distributed them free of charge. In addition, they purchased necessery stationary for the disabled youth in their community and even purchased several computers for those who did not have access to one and thus were not able to attend online lessons.

They distributed Georgian and English books in the gorge so that children could get acquainted with new literature during the pandemic. The members of the eco-club attended more than 100 seminars and trainings during the pandemic, and shared their knowledge with their classmates.

The end of the competition did not mean the end of the activities of the Duisi eco-club. The children seem especially excited about one of them: the opening of a social enterprise where people with disabilities are employed. The employees of the enterprise prepare traditional dishes.

After packaging, the product is sold in local stores. Their cooperation with international organizations to make all this possible and achieve sustainable goals is very impressive.

"It was important for us to participate in this competition, then go through to the finals and win,” says Amina Khangoshvili, an eco-club member. “The ecoclubs have proved that somewhere, in the mountains of Georgia, live people who are united around the idea of protecting the environment, and they have succeeded. These are people for whom it is important to care for the planet, to build an integrated society, to live in a democratic state, to realize oneself, and to support the equal participation of vulnerable groups in all of the above processes. In achieving all this, we were greatly aided by the Niko Ketskhoveli Award, which united us around a common idea. However, with the completion of the project, our work and activity to achieve these goals is not over: we will continue our work!”.

AKHALSOPELI PUBLIC SCHOOL The Akhalsopeli eco-club became a finalist for the fourth time this year, though, until now, they were always one step away from winning. Although the main motivation for the children to participate in the project was not to receive a prize, the victory still tasted sweet, bringing them a completely different emotion.

Their eyes filled with tears of happiness said everything without the need for any words, Among the many activities they organized, the Akhalsopeli ecoclub members highlighted several activities, which they thought were particulary worth mentioning: they equipped the school with eco-lamps, and the created an online site COV-NEWS, wherenews and advice related to COVID-19 was posted every week. In addition, they conducted online environmental train-

ings with Meskhetian and Avar citizens living in Mtisdziri and Tivi. During the pandemic, students even set up environmental crossword puzzles for their peers, invited members of other eco-clubs, and conducted joint activities aimed at raising children's awareness and interest in the environment.

"The eco-club has changed my daily behavior, my personality. I’m more ecofriendly now. I got involved in environmental activities from a very young age, because I always wanted to change the environment around me for the better - to think about environmental problems and how to solve them,” says Eko Vardiashvili, environmental and green ambassador of the eco-club. “I developed a lot of skills in the eco-club, like group work, mobilization during emergencies, sharing knowledge and experience...

Being a member of an eco-club is also a big responsibility for me, but it’s nice to know that together, with the help of friends and others, you are changing the environment - that is the most important thing.”

Akhalsopeli Public School activities covered almost all of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in their work.

The victory does not end their activities!

Now the team has set a goal to involve more young people in environmental activities.

TSEROVANI PUBLIC SCHOOL We are confident when we say that the members of this eco-club set examples for their peers: the children there often hold seminars on various important issues, including the use of tobacco and the dangers posed by it. In addition to information campaigns, the Tserovani eco-club cooperates with local governments and from time to time organizes clean-up events. A representative of the eco club, Diego Mikava, considers the project on gender equality the most outstanding activity carried out by the ecoclube, the activity involved training 100 young people in 4 municipalities on gender equality. He also speaks proudly of a project on green entrepreneurship,

during which children sewed bags from cloth scraps and waste to be used as shopping bag for food. According to Diego, the Tserovani eco-club is a small family where people work to create a healthy environment.

"This competition contributed greatly to my own self-development,” he says “I’ve been a member of the eco-club since 2018, and I believe that the friendship and knowledge acquired here will last me a lifetime.

I realized what I like to do and even decided to become an ecologist. At this stage, I’m going to transfer the leadership of the eco-club to someone else, I think that everyone who wants and is able to, should get this experience. " When the Tserovani School Eco-club could not make to the finals in 2019, they made it their motivation to do more the following year. The students planned to achieve the desired result by improving activities and diversity. This year they knew for sure that they would get through to the final, they say, but they did not think about winning. Now, they are immensely grateful because their hard work has paid off.

The victory affected not only the participants but the whole school. Now more children want to get involved in the activities of the eco-club, and the grant received will allow the club to do just that. * The Niko Ketskhoveli School Prize is funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation under the project "Promoting Sustainable Forest Management for Rural Development".

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

9

Carrefour Continues Active Involvement in Red Cross Campaign to Support Socially Vulnerable Elderly

K

eeping older people safe is especially important during the coronavirus pandemic.

During this difficult period, elderly people are in the most at-risk group. For this purpose, starting November 30, the Georgian Red Cross relaunched its campaign in support of vulnerable single elderly people and vulnerable families infected with Covid-19.

Carrefour, operated in Georgia by Majid Al Futtaim, continues to actively participate in the mentioned initiative to

once again underline its commitment to creating better living conditions for members of society and to improve their lives.

From today on, with support of its partner organization the Red Cross Society in Georgia, not only Carrefour but its customers visiting its stores, have the chance to make a contribution to the safety and well-being of vulnerable elderly living in Georgia.

Together with the Georgian Red Cross Society and nutritionists, a minimum package has been developed which envis-

ages about ten days' supply and includes two areas: food, medicine and hygiene items. These include: sugar, rice, tea, pasta, buckwheat, oat flakes, wheat flour, oil, salt, and primary consumption items.

As part of the renewed social campaign, customers of the Carrefour branch in Tbilisi Mall and East Point will be able to purchase any product from the special list of needs developed by the Georgian Red Cross, and participate in this charity. Citizens who want to do so, can buy the products on the list which will then be delivered to those who most need support today.

The package will be delivered to single elderly people with the help of trained volunteers and regional administration employees. The campaign is organized on the recommendation of the Interagency Coordination Council.

Other Carrefour branches will gradually join the charity campaign.

The event will be opened by the President of the Georgian Red Cross, Natia Loladze, and the Country Manager of Carrefour Georgia, Christophe Orcet.

“It is very important for us that there are people in Georgia who think today not only about themselves and their families, but also about the people who may be struggling the most,” said Natia Loladze, President of the Georgian Red Cross Society. “We successfully implemented this project in the spring, when a large number of parcels were collected with the high activity of citizens, and with the selfless work of Georgian Red Cross volunteers, we were able to help many people across the country. I would like to call on other retail chains as well to get involved in this charitable campaign to help citizens with special needs.”

“We are pleased to once again have the opportunity to join an important social campaign aimed at helping those who need it most,” said Christophe Orcet, Country manager of Carrefour Georgia.

“In this difficult time, single elderly people are at the highest risk, and it is noteworthy that from today, with the initiative of our partner organization, the Red Cross, not only Carrefour but also our customers will have the opportunity to

contribute to supporting the elderly and vulnerable families in isolation.”

It is noteworthy that in spring, at the first stage of the initiative, 10,000 elderly people received assistance within the framework of this campaign. Carrefour, as the biggest retail chain with high community engagement, was the first to join the Red Cross and Tbilisi City Hall campaign to support socially vulnerable elderly at that time.

USAID Empowers Civil Society to Support Children & their Families during COVID-19

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for Georgia’s socially vulnerable residents, including children. To help Georgian society cope with the pandemic, USAID, through its ACCESS program, has partnered with local civil society organizations to create conditions where children are supported amidst the pandemic conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been difficult for everyone. For children and their families, it has brought a particular set of challenges, especially for families that are socially vulnerable.

“During lockdown, children are deprived of social interaction and communication, which causes emotional exhaustion and fatigue,” said Mamuka Makhatadze, director of Firefly World, a children’s hospice in Tbilisi.

Since COVID-19 first appeared, societies around the world have been forced to find new ways to care for their most vulnerable citizens, both through public services and private initiatives. In Georgia, community-based organizations have stepped up to support the country’s response to the pandemic.

The USAID ACCESS Program started issuing COVID-19 rapid-response grants to community-based civic groups and CSOs in March, shortly after the onset of the pandemic. These grants have made it possible for community-based organizations to carry out COVID-19 response work in a number of fields: training medical personnel to treat cases of the virus; sharing fact-based information about the pandemic; and supporting vulnerable members of society, among other things.

Of the 22 grants issued by the USAID ACCESS Program, six have gone to organizations focused on children’s

issues, including Firefly World. An organization dedicated to supporting Georgia’s most vulnerable children and their families, Firefly World was forced to make difficult decisions due to the pandemic. The organization temporarily closed its day center, a place for children to interact with their peers in a safe and supportive environment.

“Our children could not leave their homes and their parents could not leave them,” said Mamuka. After receiving the grant from the USAID ACCESS Program, Firefly World was able to shift many of its services online, providing web-based counseling to 41 families, and even recording videos for families to ensure proper care inside the home.

The organization also used the support to launch a crowdfunding campaign to mobilize additional resources from private donors. “While the number of hospice donors is growing by the year, more active involvement from the community and the State is essential,” said Mamuka.

Five other organizations have used financial support from the USAID ACCESS Program to address the struggles faced by vulnerable children and their families -- struggles that have been compounded during the COVID19 pandemic. While additional public and private commitment is necessary to create a better environment for children, civic initiatives and social movements play an important role in supporting and giving voice to Georgia’s most vulnerable citizens.

Coalition Education for All set up a working group of teachers and experts to prepare educational materials for distance-based learning. These materials have made it possible for teachers and students to continue the learning

process while schools are closed. Giorgi Chanturia of Coalition Education for All had this to say: “The most important action that we took was mobilizing the organizations working on educational issues, decision-makers, and donors in one space and planning joint interventions. We facilitated an open and participatory decision-making process. We established a supervisory board for the project that brought together the members of the Coalition, as well as donor organizations, teachers, and independent experts. Most importantly, we had regular, nearly daily, interaction with teachers and we developed our activities in close cooperation with them.”

Lika Qurcikidze and Shoko Tkeshelashvili, two child psychologists, used their grant to produce more than 30 short videos for children aged between three and five who were unable to attend kindergarten due to the lockdown. Their videos showed how par-

ents can use games and exercises as a resource for early childhood development, distributing the videos through social media and through the online education package of Georgia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoESCS).

“Because of the pandemic, the Georgian government closed down schools and kindergartens. Schools were relatively quick to start online classes, but kindergartens were unable to do the same. This created significant problems for children under six and their parents. [Many parents] were unable to support the uninterrupted development of their children,” said Lika and Shoko.

“We wanted to help and empower parents in this difficult time. We tried to use different developmental games and show parents the easy and fun ways to engage with their children and develop their cognitive, motor, mental, and interpersonal skills. Our developmental videos were free and accessible

to everyone.”

Another grantee, Social Workers for Society’s Well-being, used the USAID funding to empower caregivers and administrators of family-style group homes (i.e. children’s homes) to more effectively assist and protect orphaned children, and to better cope with feelings of stress and isolation caused by the pandemic. A representative of Social Workers for Society’s Well-being commented that: “USAID ACCESS’ financial support enabled us to offer our services and support online. We quickly adapted to the new normal and put together a distance training program for community-based care-homes for orphaned children. We organized 60 group sessions for 82 caregivers from 19 carehomes to help them support the psycho-social wellbeing of their children during the pandemic.”

To help children with special educational needs and learning disabilities continue their education during the pandemic, Innovations for an Inclusive Society collaborated with the MoESCS, schools, and families on a broad effort to prepare children entering school in the 2020-21 academic year. Importantly, the project did more than prepare children and their families -- it also worked with schools to welcome children with special educational needs and provide an environment where they could thrive.

Studio Bicycle used its grant to create a series of animation videos to teach children under the age of 10 how to protect themselves from the virus. The videos Giraffe Zhoze, a popular animated character. This method allowed Studio Bicycle to deliver important public health information through a children-friendly medium.

10

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY

DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

Pixel Shifting in Ushguli If you take four hand-held photos of a still scene moving as little as possible (not on a tripod), the movement (shift) between them is crucial. In the computer, stack the set as layers; enlarge them 200% each, length and width (= 4 times the area). Align them, then set the program to give less and less opacity to each layer compared to the one below it: 100%, 50, 33, 25. Flatten the layers, sharpen, and you’ve used the set to make an image 4 times larger than what your camera can do with a single shot, and just as sharp as that one frame would be. If you have the space and money, print that thing huge and enjoy.

My laptop’s 16 GB of RAM are just enough to do this, if only my photo editing program is running and nothing else.

So far I’m pleased with the results, and as memory storage is only decreasing in price while it grows in size, space is not a serious issue. There are some things which we could do in the darkroom and now emulate by computer; but this is something else. It’s not needed for every photo, but for the best ones, it can really show them off at breathtaking scale. My new favorite trick.

BLOG BY TONY HANMER

N

othing like a trip back to Ushguli, my winter home from 2007-9, to cheer me up. I went with some friends and their American guest, carefully masked, for a night.

They had business there with friends of theirs, looking for a secondhand 4x4 vehicle. I had business with the landscape, as usual, my former hosts being away at the moment.

We had to wait over two hours between K’ala, the last village before our destination, and Ushguli, while some more rockfalls were cleared. This time, two caterpillars were involved, one at each end of the blockage, and two climbers were roped up above them, knocking down more of the rotten rock which road-widen explosions had exposed.

They had said three hours, so we got off early. It was quite something to see those scoops moving small-car-sized chunks of slate to the road’s edge and down towards the Enguri river far below.

If they slid instead of rolling, some of them slowed down on the slope and didn’t make the river. The rollers, though, practically bounced, and if they didn’t shatter into their component fragile layers, hit the water with almighty splashes.

Once the fallen wall of rock was stable enough not to pour down onto and over us, and a brand new road section had been flattened out sufficiently for our Delica, we were given the go-ahead and

drove through the mess and into freedom. Twilight was already coming down as we got into Ushguli, and there would be more exploding and road closure tomorrow, they told us; don’t overstay!

Warm welcome near the top of the village, shown our rooms, plenty of hot food in a very cozily warm room where the

big Svan stove was doing its duty. Three generations aged about 10 to 90 share the house. My room wasn’t able to have a heater, but I said I’d be fine with enough covers, and that was indeed the case.

What’s +2 degrees C (said my thermometer) when I’d spent part of two winters earlier in a room down to -4? I slept like

a hibernating bear, then and now!

The golden dawn light showed most of Mt. Shkhara above the village, Georgia’s highest peak above Europe’s highest village, right from my own window.

Time to experiment with a new technique in what is called computational photography: Pixel Shifting.

Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a weekly writer and photographer for GT since early 2011. He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook group, now with nearly 2000 members, at www.facebook.com/ groups/SvanetiRenaissance/ He and his wife also run their own guest house in Etseri: www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti

Fighting the Stigma of Cancer: Regional Center Aims to Improve Historically Low Rates of Detection

Ioseb Abesadze, the Director Tbilisi's Cancer Prevention Center.

(Photo: Vazha Tavberidze)

BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE

W

hen 46-year old Darejan Berishvili made a routine visit to the newly-opened cancer screening center in her home town of Zugdidi, she expected to receive a clean bill of health.

However, despite having experienced no discomfort, testing revealed she had a stage two malignant tumor in her breast.

“The fact that it was discovered at still a relatively early stage is what I suppose I owe my life and current health to,” Berishvili said. After diagnosis, she had successful surgery in Kutaisi.

Medical professionals in the Georgian region of Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti, which has historically reported high rates of cancer, say that local efforts to raise awareness of the importance of routine screening are paying off.

In general, cancer screening in Georgia remains low. For example, according to 2019 data, only 18% of Georgian women had undergone breast cancer screening, compared with 40% in Greece and 80% in Finland.

“The sizeable discrepancy of the cancer mortality rates between developed and developing countries are largely down to successful early stage detection,” said Ioseb Abesadze, Director of Tbilisi’s Cancer Prevention Center. “And in that, screening plays a pivotal role.

“The developed countries of the world made every effort to make screening a popular practice, to turn it into a routine healthcare procedure, while in countries such as Georgia, we still have to convince large parts of the population of the benefits of screening.”

He said that only between 12-15% of people access cancer screening services in Georgia, whereas around 40-60% of the target population needed to be screened to effectively reduce mortality.

A lack of information, fear, and the stigma around cancer mean that many people are reluctant to even take part in screening programs. Practitioners say that a more open discussion between healthcare providers and patients is needed to change these attitudes.

“A systemic change of the perception of the problem is needed to successfully overcome this obstacle,” Abesadze said.

“Communication with the target audience should be bolstered so that the

correct culture of taking care of one’s health is finally introduced at the grassroots level and not looked at as something only available to those who can afford it. You should take care of your health while you are healthy because it might prove too little too late if you only start doing it once your health falters.”

Detection rates have improved since a national cancer screening program was launched in Georgia in 2008. In the early days of the program, most identified cases were already at Stage IV and largely untreatable. By 2016, cases caught at Stage I and II had significantly increased.

But awareness raising is particularly important for rural populations who have less access to medical care.

The Zugdidi Screening Center, opened in October 2019 with financial support from the Czech Development Cooperation and Caritas Czech Republic in Georgia (CCRG), aims to improve early testing for a range of common cancers for the nearly half-a-million people living in Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti.

The region has reported relatively high rates of cancer in recent decades. Some experts attribute this to the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster 34 years ago; this western part of Georgia was believed to have been badly affected by the subsequent radioactive cloud.

There is also a large proportion of internally displaced people (IDPs) from previous rounds of conflict in Georgia.

“The Samegrelo region and particularly the city of Zugdidi are the most densely IDP populated areas in Georgia,” said Rema Ghvamichava, director of the Zugdidi screening center. “That’s why around 35-40% of those depending on the Zugdidi Screening Center are IDPs. Among this, around 10% are from Abkhazia.”

Tamuna Kurtanidze, project manager at CCRG, agreed that the center had been a game-changer for IDPs, refugees and residents of Abkhazia who had since gained access to facilities that were otherwise seriously lacking.

“Our story of establishing the screening center started almost a decade ago

with an education campaign on the importance of cancer prevention and fighting cancer stigma. We continue this approach by reminding citizens to do regular check-ups even if they don’t have any symptoms. This education campaign is even more important in remote rural areas where accessibility to information is less available. To change this, we go door–to–door and from person-to person, sending the message that between 30-50% of all cancer cases are preventable if we lead a healthy lifestyle and do regular medical check-ups,” Kurtanidze said.

The center has so far provided services to more than 1,600 individuals from the Samegrelo-Upper Svaneti region. Numbers are growing, though there is still a large difference between men and women when it comes to screening. Staff note that men are more likely to attend the center after someone in their village is diagnosed and treated for cancer.

SOCIETY

GEORGIA TODAY DECEMBER 4 - 10, 2020

11

An Inclusive Society Is Key to a Robust COVID-19 Recovery

O

n the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) reiterated its strong commitment to assist Georgia in building an inclusive society in which all citizens, without exception, can exercise their fundamental human rights, enjoy equal access to public services and participate fully in the life of their communities.

Persons with disabilities form a sizable share of any society. Only 3% of the Georgian population is officially registered as having a disability, but the actual share is estimated at around 15%. Long stigmatized and pushed into the shadows, persons with disabilities are gaining voice and agency.

Georgia has made strong legal commitments to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The country ratified the landmark UN Convention on disability in 2014 and passed a long-awaited national Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in July 2020. This legislation reflects a shift from the “medical model,” which views disability as an illness to be treated, to the “social model,” which shifts responsibility to societies

to find ways to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities.

“Promoting inclusion for persons with disabilities means recognizing and protecting their rights,” said the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement for the International Day. “These rights touch on every aspect of life: the right to go to school, to live in one’s community, to access health care, to start a family, to engage in political participation, to be able to play sport, to travel, and to have decent work.”

The Georgian public is increasingly recognizing these rights. As documented in new UNDP research, large majorities of Georgians agree that persons with physical disabilities can perform well in education and employment, and as decision-makers at all levels, for example in Parliament. Unfortunately, acceptance drops dramatically for persons with mental or intellectual disabilities. Less than half would want someone with a mental or intellectual impairment as a co-worker, neighbor or classmate to their children. Most believe people with mental disabilities should not have children.

“We salute Georgia for its commitment to full social inclusion,” said UNDP Head

Louisa Vinton. “But there is still a long way to go to translate this resolve into tangible improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities. COVID-19 has thrown up new obstacles on this road, and we call on the authorities and citizens alike to ensure that the pandemic does not put persons with disabilities into jeopardy. At UNDP, we strongly believe that a more inclusive society will

see a swifter post-COVID recovery.”

UNDP has been helping to protect disability rights in Georgia for more than a decade. This work has included ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to public spaces such as the Public Service Hall and the Parliament and can make full use of public services. This effort has intensified during the pandemic. UNDP helped to customize

COVID-19 information for persons with disabilities; ensured that all Government briefings were translated into sign language; provided online counselling and peer-to-peer support to staff and residents of institutions for persons with mental disability; and delivered care packages and provided home care to thousands of elderly people, many of whom have disabilities.

CULTURE

WE’AR ART: Samoseli Qartuli, Maia Bakradze

BY NINI DAKHUNDARIDZE

C

ontinuing our collaboration with WE’AR ART, bringing to you the Georgian designers who lead the Georgian fashion scene, this month we present to our readers the creative mind behind Samoseli Qartuli, Maia Bakradze. In Maia’s mind, fashion and science can work together. Read on to find out more about Maia’s most cherished designer moment, her inspirations, the uniting point of the designer and customer, and more.

Clothing designer Maia Bakradze is a specialist in decorative-applied arts and ethnographic design. Currently working at the University of Georgia, she’s taking a course in Ethnographic Design and has her own brand "Maia Bakradze - Samoseli Qartuli" (Georgian Garment in English) “I’ve been working with my team for years to restore and introduce various methods and technologies of ancient Georgian, endangered decorative arts,”

she tells GEORGIA TODAY. “I’ve restored and processed dyeing, fabric painting, embroidery, and other techniques and technologies, on the basis of which I create collections of modern, classic, youthful, and modernist clothes and accessories.

“I create clothes that have their own history, their own color, their own mood, which originates from the historical past of Georgia.

“My design debut as an artist took place in Brussels in 1993, at the exhibition Days of Georgia in Brussels, which was organized by our current President Salome Zurabishvili, where my work was highly praised.”

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR EDUCATION IN THIS FIELD AND HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IS FOR A DESIGNER? I got my higher education in Georgia, but I had internships in Europe and America. I believe that professional education is very important in becoming a professional in general, and especially for a designer.

HAVE YOU TAKEN PART IN ANY FASHION SHOWS? Since 1993, I have participated in various assemblies, summits, exhibitions, and fashion shows in many countries around the world, as well as scientific conferences and symposia.

WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA AND GOAL OF YOUR DESIGN / BRAND? My and my team’s creative direction is to make ecologically clean, modern clothes and accessories, created with natural materials and dyes, which are inspired by Georgian ethnographic motifs and are scientifically based on the traditions and technologies of creating Georgian national clothes, such as ornament, silhouette, color, cloth, etc.

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George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Natalia Chikvaidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

WHAT KIND OF PERSON WEARS YOUR CLOTHES? My clothes and accessories are worn by people of different ages and nationalities in different parts of the world. They are really different, but what unites them is my vision of clothes and the same perception of art.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU SEE A PERSON WEARING YOUR DESIGN? It's a very nice feeling when a person likes and wears clothes you've created.

Many times in the streets I’ve seen people dressed in clothes I made, and it makes me as happy as a little kid!

I’ve often been told from abroad that they like and wear my clothes. Years ago, I created school jackets for Georgian schools, for students in grades 1-4, and then I distributed them myself to the students of one school. They didn't know who I was and the biggest reward was their glowing eyes, putting on the jackets I’d created. I’ll never forget it.

HOW HAS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AFFECTED YOUR BUSINESS AND DESIGNING STYLE? Covid influences everything, its impact on the life and creativity of the artist gets bigger every minute. It’s very difficult to think about fashion and art when world events are changing for the worse with lightning speed. The direction of my creativity has not been affected by the pandemic. As for business, today everything has slowed down due to the situation. I have an Instagram page (@ dresscodemb_maiabakradze) and a FB page (@Samoseli Qartuli) where customers can browse my artwork and order online. It's been a few months now since I set up an online store on the ETSY international platform, DressCodeMB. etsy.com, where I already have sales and hope to have more buyers by the New Year.

Journalists: Ana Dumbadze, Vazha Tavberidze, Nini Dakhundaridze, Tony Hanmer, Emil Avdaliani, Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Michael Godwin, Elene Dzebizashvili Photographer: Aleksei Serov

WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR WORKS? The source of inspiration for my creations has always been and is the rich ethnographic past of Georgia. It is very interesting to create such a modern garment, which sometimes repeats the form of an ancient Georgian garment. Sometimes you can use the same old technique of decoration, execution or dyeing traditions, and still end up creating completely avantgarde pieces. This work is also a big responsibility. I’m very happy when I achieve this goal correctly and I’m very happy when a guest comes to the exhibition or parade and perceives my creativity in exactly the same way as I conceived and created it.

CAN YOU SINGLE OUT ANY FAMOUS OR LESSER-KNOWN, INTERNATIONAL OR LOCAL DESIGNERS (OR ARTISTS IN GENERAL) WHO HAVE INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE YOUR COLLECTIONS? I like many designers and artists, both Georgian and foreign. I like Christian Dior the most among designers and I’m a fan of Peter Otskheli. The source of

Website Manager/Editor: Katie Ruth Davies Layout: Misha Mchedlishvili Webmaster: Sergey Gevenov Circulation Managers: David Kerdikashvili, David Djandjgava

inspiration is different at different times, but not the designers.

HOW HAS GEORGIAN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING INSPIRED YOUR DESIGNS? Georgian traditional clothing is unique and absolutely complete. It manifests centuries of perfecting. You can’t change it, so it adapts to your taste. One can only admire and turn it into a source of inspiration. I’m a specialist in this field and I teach it to my students in every lecture. Rarely have I seen in the clothes of other nations combinations so harmonious with each other; the abundance of colors and, controversy, such beautiful embroidery and subtle forms.

I put a part of this rich past in each and every one of my works, and give them new life.

WE’AR ART is a copyrighted brand/slogan with a unique philosophy: to create awareness of fashion and art. Since 2018, the WE’AR ART collection has only worked for one common ‘good’: raising funds through charity events and sponsoring competitions for young artists.

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