Advancing Youth Engagement in Georgia: EU4Youth Hosts Capacity Building and Award Ceremony for Youth CSOs

From 20 to 22 May, the EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment project convened grantee organizations from across Georgia for a three-day event. The gathering served as the official Awarding Ceremony and Capacity Building Meeting for civil society organizations selected under the project’s small grants scheme.

The event celebrated the accomplishments of nine awarded youth organizations dedicated to promoting participation, inclusion, and climate action within their communities. It opened with remarks and a certificate ceremony delivered by Mr. Nicholas Cendrowicz, Head of Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to Georgia, and Dr. Anna-Maria Schneider, Head of Development Cooperation for Georgia and Azerbaijan at BMZ. Both speakers emphasized the vital role of civil society and youth participation in democratic governance and reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the European Union and Germany to supporting these efforts.

Grantees presented their funded projects, showcasing initiatives aimed at increasing youth engagement, fostering social cohesion, and implementing sustainable practices at the local level. They discussed challenges faced at both local and municipal levels and exchanged best practices.

The three-day programme featured intensive capacity-building workshops on youth participation, covering (1) Effective mechanisms for mobilizing young people; (2) Inclusive outreach strategies for vulnerable youth groups; and (3) Approaches to strengthening youth participation within local NGOs. Participants also had opportunities to network, reflect on implementation progress, and explore synergies among their initiatives.

The event is organized within the framework of the EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment Project co-funded by the European Union and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of the Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership.