On November 5-7, 2021a closed-door workshop was held in Borjomi – Likani Georgia for representatives from different agencies of the Georgian Government. For three days, participants benefited from the insights and experiences shared by speakers from Northern Ireland who had been directly involved in the peace process and reconciliation efforts.

The invited experts provided the group with information on the history of the Northern Ireland conflict, the different stages of the peace process, the use of informal platforms (including backchannels), as well as the meaningful inclusion of civil society – in particular women organizations – in the peace process. Participants had the chance to directly exchange with experts on each topic, on their respective successes and challenges. Specific sessions were dedicated to reflecting and learning from the experience in Northern Ireland, both when it comes to best practices and lessons learned.

The workshop was jointly organized by the International Centre for Geopolitical Studies (ICGS), Georgia and CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Finland as part of a programme targeting Georgian government officials jointly implemented by the two organizations since 2015 with the financial support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.

To ensure maximal safety for participants and speakers, the workshop was held in a blended format and in line with the COVID-19 regulations put in place by the Government of Georgia.