Students make up the most active and emotional electorate in Georgia. Considering the legal age limit, majority of students will have to express their civil duty for the first time in the upcoming elections. Therefore, it is particularly important to provide them with maximum information on elections and conduct the election process in democratic and fair manner to help raise the civil awareness of students and enshrine democratic values in their mentality.

In this respect, it is of great importance to inform students and raise their awareness on the legal initiatives related to the elections in Georgia, Georgian Election Code, and the analysis of the process and results of the elections held in Georgia for the last 20 years. It is also necessary to consider international experience regarding and be aware of the election processes, election laws, election standards in our neighboring and partner countries, strengths and weaknesses in their election laws, and see how the election procedures comply with the requirements of the election laws, what the results of elections are in this or that particular country, and what repercussions the results of the elections found in the general public.

The general aim of the project was to help inform students and raise their awareness as regards the election processes for the 2010 Local Elections by holding lectures and meetings with the Georgian and foreign experts, political scientists and politicians involved in the election process.

Project objectives

• Mobilizing student resources to promote elections as the best way of political life and democratic reforms;
• Promoting the awareness of students and young people in connection with the election laws;
• Promoting the awareness of students and young people and sharing with them international experience regarding the elections held and election systems maintained in the neighboring and partner countries of Georgia;
• Promoting the awareness of students by organizing direct meetings with Tbilisi Mayor Nominees and becoming conversant with their programs;
• Promoting the involvement of students in the progress and monitoring of the local elections in Tbilisi (in the work of the organizations conducting monitoring over the elections);
• Registration of the students’ position on the extent, to which the 2010 local elections complied with the Georgian laws and international standards.

8 meetings held within the framework of the project.

1. Georgian Election Code and forthcoming Elections of Tbilisi Mayor and Local Self-Governmental Elections

30 march 2010 the meeting of members of the Election Code Working Group in the Tbilisi NDI office with students took place at the Library of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state University. The topic of the meeting was "Georgian Election Code and forthcoming Elections of Tbilisi Mayor and Local Self-Governmental Elections".

2. Ukrainian Presidential Elections

30 march 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the meeting of students with Olexie Haran The Academic director of the school for policy Analysis, present professor, Dept.of political Science took place at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state University. The topic of the meeting was "Ukrainian Presidential Elections".

3. Lithuanian electoral processes and the problem voter inducement

5 of May 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the students meeting with Dr. Nerijus Maliukevichus head of Institute of International Relations and Political Science (Vilnius University) took place at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi state University. The topic of the meeting was "Lithuanian electoral processes and the problem voter inducement".

4. Latvian Municipal Elections 2009

4. 10 of May 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the students meeting with Dr. Antons Petrivskis lecture of Latvian State University took place at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The topic of the meeting was "Latvian Municipal Elections 2009".

5. Meeting of the mayor`s candidates

24 May 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the meeting of the mayor`s candidates and the students of several universities of Tbilisi was held in the Sheraton Metekhi Palace.

6. Meeting of students with representatives of NGO-s

4 of June 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the meeting of students with representatives of NGO-s took place at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The topic of the meeting was "The local elections 2010 and its results".

7. The local elections 2010 and its results

7 of June 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the meeting of students with CEC administration took place at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The topic of the meeting was "The local elections 2010 and its results".

8. Student Conference

30 of June 2010 at the initiative of the International Centre for geopolitical Studies the student’s conference held at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The topics of the conference were: "The local elections 2010 and its results", and the summing of results of the project "Improvement of Students’ Civil Awareness in Terms of Elections".