Young Georgian Leaders Participate at the Visegrad School of Political Studies

Georgian young leaders from different state and non-profit sectors participated in the Visegrad School of Political Studies (VSPS) held in Warsaw, Poland from 20-24 July this year. The program was organized by the European Academy of Diplomacy (EAD), the first non-governmental, non- profit diplomatic academy in Europe, and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the Visegrad Fund.

The EAD, with the mission of shaping, sharpening and inspiring a new generation of enlightened international leaders, brought together 30 youth representatives from 10 countries of the EU and its neighborhood, including Georgia.

The seminars and workshops of the Visegrad School of Political Studies were designed to help increase involvement in the democratic processes, foster exchange of know-how and strengthen regional cooperation among a new generation of Central and Eastern European leaders. The VSPS currently operates the following programs: The VSPS Annual Program and the V4 (Visegrad 4) meets EaP (Eastern Partnership) seminar.

The Annual Program is an open platform for young professionals from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia with 3+ years of experience in politics, civil society, public administration and journalism. Selected participants meet five times over the course of a year in each of the Visegrad capitals, plus Strasbourg for the World Forum for Democracy held annually in November. During the program, participants discuss the main challenges to the democratic process in the Visegrad Group, how to strengthen the democratic process in the Visegrad countries and the Visegrad Group and the future of the European Union. The VSPS Annual Program is organized in cooperation with the Council of Europe and the International Visegrad Fund.

The VSPS has a growing network of alumna who are expected to be the ‘leaders of tomorrow’ in their countries. The lectures and seminars during the program were delivered by high-ranking experts and professionals from across the European Union, including heads of different European think tanks and senior EU lobbyists.

It is not the first time for the Georgian delegation to participate in the project, as the VSPS - in its efforts to train Georgian public servants – contributes to Georgia’s reformation process and the country’s aspiration toward the European integration. At the same time, Ukraine and Moldova, who along with Georgia have opted for a Euro-Atlantic path, were widely present at the school as the countries are in vital need of educated, young innovators in the public sphere.

The V4 meets EaP program is an extension of the Visegrad School of Political Studies Annual Program that aims to promote the collective and individual V4 democratic transition experience to young political, social and governmental leaders from Eastern Partnership countries. The V4 meets EaP brings together 30 participants from V4 and EaP countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine) for week-long seminars that focus on EU integration, civil society development and general transitional experience. The V4 meets EaP program is organized in cooperation with the Council of Europe, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the International Visegrad Fund. The participants are expected to build strong networks and to develop their relationships from their diverse positions in the future.

At the graduation ceremony of the course, the participants were awarded certificates of successful completion.

Steven Jones