On 24-25 May, the Council of Europe Office in Georgia once again set up its Human Rights Corner at the Tbilisi Open Air festival’s “Freedom Village,” marking its fifth consecutive year of collaboration. Within the vibrant atmosphere of the region’s largest music festival, the Council of Europe actively engaged with a diverse audience, fostering important dialogue on critical issues such as equality, diversity, social justice, child protection, and drug prevention.

In 2025, the Council of Europe marks 75 years since the adoption of Europe’s main human rights protection document—the European Convention on Human Rights. As in previous years, the Council of Europe presented itself under the slogan “United Around Our Values,” reaffirming its commitment to the human rights enshrined in the Convention, as well as to democracy and the rule of law. Through interactive activities like quizzes and a treasure hunt game, guests at its Human Rights Corner—joined by a well-known actress and TV anchor Ekaterine Demetradze and a journalist Niko Nergadze—explored the rights and freedoms safeguarded by the Convention in a fun and engaging way.

Over the two days, festivalgoers took part in thought-provoking discussions on human rights. Together with the lawyer Saba Brachveli and social rights researcher Vakhtang Natsvlishvili, participants examined European and national standards for combating hate speech, the societal role in eliminating discrimination and promoting equality, and the protection of social rights—particularly through the European Social Charter.

In another interactive session, guests joined child and adult psychiatrist Ketevan Silagadze to discuss various forms of violence against children. The conversation also covered the impact of violence and substance use on children's development and emphasised the critical need for prevention.

The activities over the course of the two-day period were carried out within the framework of four Council of Europe projects, namely  Enhancing equality and non-discrimination in Georgia, Further enhancement of social and economic rights in Georgia, Combating violence against children in Georgia and Strengthening the role of key actors in drug prevention.

These projects are funded under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024–2027. Additionally, the activities were supported through the project Combating Hate Speech in Georgia, which forms part of the third phase of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Partnership for Good Governance.”