Marneuli and Tetritskaro municipalities held an event "Change the Scenario – Play Your Role" on the topic of civil participation, bringing together residents, activists, local authorities and organisations committed to making a difference in their communities. The events were organised by the Council of Europe together with the Marneuli and Tetritskaro municipalities as part of the ongoing information campaign aiming at encouraging and fostering a culture of active participation within local communities, emphasising the significance of cooperation between civil society and public authorities to deliver joint solutions.
Forum Theatre, an engaging theatrical and educational approach, allowed participants to step into the shoes of the actors, interact in the performance, and explore potential solutions to community issues. The event's theme revolved around the vital role of civil participation in solving a community problem. While searching for the solutions, citizens identified a number of ways to impact the decision-making process, including writing a petition, raising the issue via youth advisory councils, reaching out to the members of City Councils, meeting directly with the Mayor during the Mayor’s open-door day.
At the heart of the event were speeches and discussions on the importance of civil engagement, featuring speakers who shared their insights and experiences. Both events in Marneuli and Tetritskaro brought together representatives of local authorities and civil society, possessing experience in solving community issues via joint efforts and a diverse group of participants, enabling an inclusive and constructive dialogue. The audience actively engaged in the forum theatre performance and were encouraged to join the discussion, share their perspectives, and brainstorm innovative participatory solutions.
Within the Council of Europe information campaign, the events in 2023 were already organised in Tbilisi, Oni, Ambrolauri, Gori, Borjomi, Akhmeta, Telavi and Bolnisi.
The events take place in the framework of the project “Strengthening Participatory Democracy and Human Rights at Local Level in Georgia”, implemented by the Directorate General of Democracy and Human Dignity, Division of Elections and Participatory Democracy within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia 2020-2023 with the financial contribution of the Austrian Development Cooperation.
