On June 21, 2023, Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) organized a population forum at the public school of Dimi, Baghdati municipality, dedicated to the discussion and planning of the priorities of the local budget for 2024.

The Population Forum was preceded by training for members of the organizing committee, and local community representatives, in techniques of organizing and facilitating the forum. More than 100 residents participated in the event, assessed the programs initiated by the municipality’s mayor’s office, and submitted suggestions for changes.

The working fields of the Population Forum were: Infrastructure, culture and art, education, agricultural development, tourism development and entrepreneurship, environmental protection, defense, social issues, sports, and youth.

After the forum, the organizing committee will consider the participants’ proposals, prepare a document of recommendations, and submit it to the decision-makers for consideration in the next year’s budget.

In September of this year, the mayor of the municipality will introduce the final project of the 2024 budget to the population.

The forum was held within the framework of the project Fostering Decentralization and Good Governance at the Local Level in Georgia (DGG) implemented by the Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) with the Financial support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It aims to increase the role of citizen participation, especially of young people and women in the municipalities of Baghdati, Ambrolauri, and Dusheti, in the process of decision and local policy-making, by promoting open dialogue between citizens and decision-makers in local self-government and introducing an effective model of engagement.