Ministry of Peace in Georgia

July 1st

Gandhi Foundation opened up in Georgia on June 30th, 2014 at the Tbilisi State University.  Leader of Ekta Parishad Rajagopal PV, leading Gandhi Scholar Ramin Jehanbegloo and International Initiatives representative Jill Car-Harris congratulated Georgian Gandhi Foundation for its opening.  The Rector of Tbilisi State University Dr. Vladimir Papava also spoke at the meeting together with prominent board members of Gandhi Foundation Georgia, Ms. Nina Tsikhistavi and Irakli Kakabadze.  

Georgians had invited Mr. Rajagopal PV to understand the Abkhaz and Ossetian conflict in the country and use their Indian experience to offer advice. They also met with the Indian Ambassador of Armenia and Georgia, Mr. Suresh Babu.  

Georgia's Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Mr. Paata Zakareishvili held a one hour long meeting with Rajagopal PV and Jill Car-Harris and noted that opening up of Gandhi Foundation will create new opportunites for peaceful dialogue between different confilicting sides in South Caucasus.   Rajagopal PV, Ramin Jahanbegloo and Jill Carr-Harris  noted that having a Ministry of Peace was a great step forward and an example for other countries. They also met with the Minister of Sports and Youth of Georgia, Levan Kipiani and this Ministry will be collaborating with Georgian Gandhi Foundation in a youth training later in the year. Rajagopal PV, Jill Carr-Harris and Ramin Jahanbegloo are in Georgia for two weeks conducting lectures and taking up a  five day training program in Batumi, the Black Sea city in western Georgia.