On May 25, 2024, a regional forum for volunteering was held at the Hotel “Ambassadori” in Kachreti. The event was organized by the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) and the Media Center of Kakheti MCK Kakheti Regional Hub, within the framework of the EU-funded project “Civil Society STAR Initiative”.

The forum was attended by high school and college students, volunteers, teachers, local non-governmental and community organizations, self-governments, media personnel, and various members of society.

The primary goal of the forum was to promote the culture of volunteering among the youth of the Ajara region, encourage communication between volunteer organizations and individuals interested in volunteering, and increase awareness of regional public organizations among the population.

The event also aimed to inform the public about the activities and projects implemented by these organizations and to build trust in civil society organizations. During the forum, a presentation of the activities of community associations and civil society organizations operating in the Adjara region was held. Representatives of these organizations talked about their activities and invited interested individuals to participate in volunteering activities.

The event also featured parallel sessions, including a panel discussion on the topic of “Volunteering activities of public organizations operating in Kakheti in practice” and a meeting with young people to discuss the “Challenges and Opportunities of Volunteering in Georgia”. At the end of the event, the best volunteers were revealed and awarded.

The forum was organized within the framework of the European Union (EU) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung funded project “Civil Society STAR Initiative: CSOs as Sustainable, Transparent, Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia“(2021-2025).

The project is implemented by a consortium led by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) together with the following non-governmental organizations – Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia (CSRDG), Civil Society Institute (CSI), Counseling and Training Center (CTC), Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) and European Institute of Policy (IEP).