As part of its efforts to promote inclusive, participatory, and rights-based local democracy in Georgia, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe launched innovative Community Talks in Ambrolauri and Oni municipalities, on 9 and 10 July 2025. These events were aimed at strengthening democratic practices at the grassroots level through community-based dialogue.

Local residents discussed key priorities previously identified through an open survey and focus groups open to citizens. In Ambrolauri, participants explored ways to enhance youth involvement in local development, improve access to education and healthcare, strengthen municipal services, and boost tourism and the local economy. In Oni, discussions focused on similar themes, with additional attention given to environmental sustainability and disaster prevention.

Guided by a newly adapted version of the Council of Europe’s CivicLab methodology, the consultations brought together community members, including youth and representatives of vulnerable groups, alongside with civil society and private sector representatives. Each event concluded with the co-creation of an action plan outlining practical next steps and shared responsibilities. These Community Talks successfully piloted the first phase of a broader participatory process to be carried out in different Georgian municipalities, leading to the development and support of community-driven initiatives, and ultimately to more human rights-based and inclusive local governance.

The initiative is implemented by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe under the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2024-2027 with support from the Austrian Development Cooperation, in the framework of the project “Advancing Participatory and Human Rights-Based Local Democracy in Georgia”.