1. EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT GEORGIA
1st Regional Session in
Akhaltsikhe
11- March,
11-13th of March, 2011.
European Youth Parliament
www.eypej.org
www.eyp.org.ge
2. Welcome to the Akhaltsikhe 1st Regional Session!!!
European Youth Parliament Georgia continues its activities and after successfully organized
sessions in different regions of Georgia is pleased to announce that Regional Session in
Akhaltsikhe will be held on the 11-13th of March with the greatest support of Children and
Youth National centre.
Over 50 young people will come together to discuss innovative solutions to international
issues, touching questions from the environment and culture to trade and security affairs.
For three days the participants take part in various activities. Starting from teambuilding,
where they learn different methods of ice-breaking, time-keeping and communication
followed by committee work, where they discuss their given topics in smaller groups, in
order to finally present the results of their discussions at the General Assembly.
Why Akhaltsikhe is interesting for you?
The capital and biggest town of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Akhaltsikhe means ‘New Castle’ in
Georgian. In fact, far from being new, the castle that dominates the town dates from the
12th century. The local power in Akhaltsikhe from the 13th to 17th centuries was the Jakeli
family, but from 1688 until 1828 it was the centre of apashalik (an Ottoman administrative
area governed by a pasha). Little of Akhaltsikhe’s Soviet-era industry remains, and
unemployment is high, but it’s a pleasant enough place, mostly used by travelers as a
staging post for the cave city at Vardzia and the beautiful Sapara Monastery.
European Youth Parliament
www.eypej.org
www.eyp.org.ge
3. Program
Opening Ceremony
Friday, 11th of March.
The Opening Ceremony will
mark
Start of the academic part of
the session.
The board of the Session
(President and vice-presidents
of the session) will announce
session officially opened.
Dress Code: Formal (suit, shirt,
tie, dress/skirt.
No jeans or casual wear).
Teambuilding
Friday, 11th of March
On the first day of the session,
delegates are divided into 5
committees that are coordinated by
chairpersons. Creative methods
and games are used to make
different individuals to function
together as a team. For efficient
committee work during the
following days.
Dress code: Comfortable, sports
/outside activity clothing
(Provide rain protection!).
www.eyp.org.ge
4. Committee Work
Friday, 11th of March –
Saturday, 12th of March
On the first and the second
days of the session,
committees will start
discussing their topics with
the aim of compiling a
resolution. This is also
continued on the third day
and is called.
Chairpersons will guide the group through
brainstorming and other activities to get
everybody’s ideas into the resolution.
Committees have the chance to defend
their resolutions on the final day during
the General Assembly.
Dress Code: Smart
Committee Dinners
Saturday, 12th of March
The organizers will book tables at a selection of local restaurants.
Each Committee will be given the chance to go out for a meal
together. This is a very special moment for the committee which
can spend some time together off committee work enjoying some
fine local restaurants. Committee Dinner will not be covered by
the participation fees so you will have to pay your meal yourself.
www.eyp.org.ge
5. Committee Presentation &
Euroconcert th
Saturday, 12 of March
The title says it all. Each committee will
make short stage performance
composed on the subjected words
presented by press team. Euro concert is
an opportunity for the delegation’s
musician(s) to entertain the session
participants and its supporters. All
participants are encouraged to take part
Performances should be polished and
well rehearsed. Euro concert is a
serious event and performances should
respect the importance of the event.
Dress Code: Formal/Elegant
www.eyp.org.ge
6. General Assembly
Sunday, 13th of March
At the all the committees meet
to present and discuss their
resolutions. The proposing
committee has the chance to
defend their resolution, and
delegates from other
committees have the right to
make attack speeches. The open
debate lasts for about 30
minutes and members of the GA
have the chance to ask
questions from the proposing
committee.
At the end of discussion, the delegates have
the vote either in favor or against the
resolution. Those resolutions that are passed
are subsequently presented to the European
Parliament, National Governments and other
national and international governing bodies.
While it is true that the European Parliament
has gone on to discuss issues brought up by
EYP resolutions, the main aim of EYP is not to
exert political influence but to enable the
participants to experience democratic
decision making. Dress Code: Formal
www.eyp.org.ge
7. Farewell Party
Sunday, 13th of March,
Sunday, March,
An amazing evening to
conclude the session!!!!
What
does the
dress
Formal/elegant clothing
Suits for gentlemen, suit/skirt/dress for
ladies for Opening Ceremony, General
Assembly, Euro concert and farewell
party
Smart clothing
For Committee Work. This is rather
flexible. Jeans are ok, but no jeans with
holes, no t-shirts with holes, no
trainers.
Casual clothing
For evening activities. Basically,
anything you like.
www.eyp.org.ge
8. Akhaltsikhe
The city is first mentioned in the chronicles in the 12th century. In the 12th - 13th centuries it was the seat of the
Akhaltsikhelis, dukes of Samtskhe, whose two most illustrious representatives were Shalva and Ivane Akhaltsikheli (of
Akhaltsikhe). From the 13th up to the 17th century the city and Samtkhe were governed by the feudal family of the
Jakelis. In 1576 the Ottomans took it and from 1628 the city became the centre of Akhaltsikhe (Turkish: Ahıska)
Province of Ottoman Empire. In 1828, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, Russian troops under the
command of General Paskevich captured the city and, as a consequence of the 1829 Treaty of Adrianople (Edirne), it
was ceded to the Russian Empire as part of first Kutaisi and then Tbilisi governorates. In the old part of the city one
can see an old fortress, castle and mosque, the old fortress of the Jakelis (13th-14th century), and St. Marine's Church.
The hills nearby the city harbour the Sapara Monastery (10th - 14th centuries).
www.eyp.org.ge
9. VENUES
Akhaltsikhe State University
It is the venue for Committee
Work.
Hotel “Bona dea”
Hotel “Bona Dea” was opened in 2009 and
meets modern standards. It is located in an
ecologically clean environment; there is a
modern interior in hotel and attentive staff.
http://hotelbonadea.ge/home.php
www.eyp.org.ge
10. Getting There and Back
Non-stop flights to Tbilisi are available from Amsterdam, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich,
Istanbul, London, Paris, Prague, Vienna, Moscow and Kiev. The flying time from London
is 4.5 hours; from North America about 12 hours. Connecting flights to Yerevan and
Baku are also available. From Tbilisi to Akhaltsikhe it is easy to travel by bus, taxi, minibus
and train. The trip takes 3 hours.
Visa requirements
A passport valid at least 6 months is required for all nationalities. No visa required for
nationals of Israel, Japan, Canada, Turkey, United States and European Union member
countries for stays up to 90 days. CIS nationals (except from the Russian Federation and
Turkmenistan) do not require a visa for stays up 90 days.
Money
Georgia’s currency is Lari, sub-divided into 100 Tetri. One Euro is roughly 2.4 Lari and 1.8
USD is One Lari (9/09/ 2010). Currency can be changed easily across the city and there is
no quantity limit. Credit & debit cards are accepted in hotels. Cash point machines are
available in Akhaltsikhe - and TRAVELERS Cheques can be exchanged in banks.
Telephone
Country code: 995. Area code for Akhaltsikhe: 265. Coverage is good and extends the whole
region
www.eyp.org.ge
11. AGENDA
March,
11th of March, 2011
07:30-
07:30-08:00 Gathering of the participants at station
08:00 Departure from Tbilisi
11:00-
11:00-11:45 Arrival in Akhaltsikhe, Delegates check in/registration
12:00-
12:00-12:45 Opening Ceremony
12:45-
12:45-13:15 Coffee break
13:15-13:30
13:15-13:30 Preparation for Teambuilding (Departure to the Castle
of Akhaltsikhe)
13:30-
13:30-15:30 Teambuilding at the Castle of Akhaltsikhe
15:30-
15:30-16:30 Sightseeing (Departure to Museum)
16:30-
16:30-16:45 Arrival at University
16:45-
16:45-17:30 Dinner
17:30-
17:30-19:30 Committee work
19:30-
19:30-20:00 Coffee break
20:00-
20:00-21:30 Committee work
21:30-
21:30-22:00 Lunch
22:00-
22:00-23:30 Party
www.eyp.org.ge
12. 12th of March
08:00 Wake up call
08:30-
08:30-09:30 Breakfast
10:00-
10:00-12:00 Committee work
12:00-12:30
12:00- Coffee break
12:30-
12:30-14:30 Committee work
14:30-
14:30-15:30 Dinner
15:30-
15:30-17:30 Committee work
17:30-
17:30-18:00 Coffee break
18:00-
18:00-19:00 Committee work and finalizing resolutions
19:00-
19:00-21:30 Committee dinner
21:30-
21:30-22:30 Preparation for Committee presentations & “Euro
concert”
22:30-
22:30-00:00 Committee presentations & “Euroconcert”
00:00 Departure to hotel
www.eyp.org.ge
13. 13th of March,
March,
09:00 Wake up call
09:30-
09:30-10:30 Breakfast
11:00-
11:00-13:30 General Assembly, (committees 1-2)
13:30-
13:30-14:00 Coffee break
14:00-
14:00-15:30 General Assembly, (committees 3-4)
15:30-
15:30-16:30 Dinner
16:30-
16:30-18:00 General Assembly, (committee 5)
Closing Ceremony
19:00-
19:00-22:00 Farewell party
22:00-
22:00-22:30 Check out, Departure from Hotel
22:30 Departure to Tbilisi
www.eyp.org.ge
