On November 1-3 students from Malmö University, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Flinders University (Adelaide, Australia) conducted an online and campus seminar, broadcasted from Tbilisi State University. This was a collaborative event for students from Caucasus Studies and Communication for development (Malmö University), Development studies (Flinders University) together with MA students from the Faculty of Social and Political Studies at Tbilisi State University. Ten Malmö students participated in the seminar in Tbilisi together with Georgian students and other students participated online, including all Australian students. From the Swedish side several members of staff came to Tbilisi for the seminar: Oscar Hemer, Karina Vamling, Hugo Boothby, Tobias Denskus, Katrine Gotfredsen, Mikael Rundberg, Anders Høg Hansen. The group was accompanied by Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Society, Rebecka Lettevall (Malmö University), and visual storyteller Conor Ashleigh.
The thematic focus of the three day seminar was Georgia’s separatist conflicts, and in particular the South Ossetian/Tskhinvali conflict, and the challenges the internally displaced persons (IDPs) are facing. The seminar included academic lectures and presentations from representatives of NGOs and other organisations, such as European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and Civil Forum. In addition to the seminar students and staff visited an IDP settlement outside Gori close to the conflict zone.
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Welcome to TSU – Vice-rector Mikheil Chkhenkeli
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Lecture by prof Alexandre Kukhianidze
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Guranda Bursulaia’s lecture
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Prof. Susanne Schech commenting from Flinders University
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Presentation by European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM), Henry Wathen
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George Mchedlishvili’s lecture
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Question to Khatuna Maisashvili during the panel discussion
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Comments from Prof. Oscar Hemer
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Dean Rebecka Lettevall presents Malmö University
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Information about Caucasus Studies – Prof. Karina Vamling
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Tobias Denskus presents the programme Communication for Development
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Hugo Boothby forming the groups
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One of the student groups
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Mikael Rundberg and Conor Ashleigh
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Visit to IDP settlement outside Gori
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Discussion in the IDP settlement
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Welcome to the dinner
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Dinner at Old Piano
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Dinner at Old Piano
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Group work during the simulation
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Simulation work
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“Special Advisor Reisner, Prime minister Kukhianidze and advisor Gotfredsen” (during simulation presenation)
Katrine Gotfredsen, Caucasus Studies, participated in the following panel discussion Human Rights in Peace-building: Exploring the conflicts in the South Caucasuswith George Mchedlishvili (Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Black Sea University), Malkhaz Kakabadze (Ambassador of Georgia to Sweden and Finland), Gigi Gigiadze (Ambassador of Georgia to Denmark) and Alexandre Kukhianidze (Professor, Tbilisi State University). The panel was moderated by Natia Gamkrelidze, Executive director of the Diplomat Magazine.