Current edition is result of the activities of the Civil Manifesto Group – Group of NGOs which has been created on 10th of April 2009 in response to the political confrontation in the country.

Civil Manifesto which united the group is simple: To Know! To Participate! To Influence! These actions are in our view rights and obligations of every citizen of Georgia.

We, representatives of the civil society organizations of Georgia, being dedicated to the principles of non-partisanship, respect for human rights and diversity of opinions as well as culture of non-violence and civil responsibility, considered as our personal and professional duty to take direct part in the resolution of the political crisis emerged in the country.

We saw genuine role of the civil society not in simple protest but in obtaining of vision of the own future in line with establishment of the human and development values. That is why today we not only act as watchdogs of democracy and human rights but as ordinary citizens of the country striving for peace and public accord. We see our role in enhancement of the political and civil culture of the constructive action, but not of confrontation in sake of confrontation or mechanical change of political leaders.

We also believe that citizens have right to receive clear information from any political group about their vision of the country development and, what is more, have right to influence these visions.

With all mentioned above in a view group of civil society organizations were intended to:

• Act as a resource in order to contribute to the mediation of the conflict in a way allowing to establish long-lasting public accord and direct participation of citizens in decision-making processes,
• Collaboration with the international organizations to promote stability in Georgia
• Carry out complex non-partisan monitoring of the realization of right of Georgian citizens for peaceful assembly and activities of the all subjects responsible for the guaranteeing and protection of this right
• Provide space for the reflection of the opinion of citizens on the possible ways of resolution of political crisis
• Promote dissemination of the balanced and precise information about situation in Georgia

All these tasks have been achieved to the different extents during the last four months. Edition presents to the audience results of the working meetings, monitoring, expert interviews, surveys of public opinion and recommendations developed by the members of the Civil Manifesto. However, what is more important given report will not only serve as a source of balanced information about human rights situation and conditions of the confrontation between government and opposition in Georgia, but also as a commitment of the civil society organizations to act on further involvement of the citizens in the mainstream political processes, on raising of legitimacy of political commitments and solutions, on launching of the informed public discussion about future of Georgia.

Read full text: "Civil Manifesto: striving for civil participation and public accord"