Georgia will be Chairman of Committee of Ministers at the Council of Europe from November 27, 2019, to May 15, 2020. The chairmanship will be handed over to Georgia from France on November 27 at a ceremony in Strasbourg.

Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of State for European Affairs of France will give a symbolic key of the chairmanship to Davit Zalkaliani, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Georgian Foreign Minister will then introduce priorities of Georgia’s chairmanship to the Committee of Ministers. According to Georgian Foreign Ministry, Georgia will have 4 priorities: human rights and environment protection; civil engagement in decision-making process; jurisdiction oriented on children; and strengthening of democracy with the engagement of education, culture and youth.

Georgian Foreign Minister and permanent representatives of member states of CoE will take a trip by a tram, which will bear the Georgian chairmanship logo and Georgian alphabet for 6 months. The Georgian state flag will be raised at the Republican Square in Strasbourg and Georgian national anthem will be performed.

During the chairmanship period, Georgia will organize about 20 activities at the Council of Europe.

We have set human rights and environmental protection; civil participation in decision-making; child-friendly justice and democracy through education, culture and youth engagement as the #CoE Georgian Presidency’s overriding priorities for the next 6 months. pic.twitter.com/VmD84PUxfa

— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) November 26, 2019

As the ministry of Internal Affairs f Georgia stated the goal of the Georgian Presidency will be to promote one of the core values of the organisation – democracy – through education, culture and youth engagement. The Georgian Presidency shall promote quality and inclusive education that is free from discrimination and provides a safe and secure learning environment, in which the rights of all are respected. The Presidency shall promote and contribute to the work of ongoing Joint Initiatives and Joint EU-CoE programmes running in the area of higher education

‘Georgia as a part of European civilization, reaffirms its commitment to the basic principles of the Council of Europe by promoting democracy and rule of law, strengthening relevant institutions and developing civil society.

One of the priorities of the Georgian Presidency is to promote the interrelationship between human rights and environmental protection, strengthen environmental protection work through the existing programmes and treaties in the Council of Europe.

The Presidency of Georgia will support the Council of Europe’s efforts to promote cultural participation and the democratisation of culture, contribute to streamlining the cultural policies of the Council of Europe’s member States. Georgia will hold a Round Table on Strengthening Democracy through Education and Culture on 30 March 2020 in Strasbourg.

It is also important to involve young people in civil society as a fundamental partner in the areas of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The Presidency of Georgia shall support the Council of Europe youth sector and its interdependent and coherent instruments.’

Assuming the presidency of the @coe Committee of Ministers for the first time, ?? commits itself to the values for which the Council of Europe stands, by building blocks of democratic development: #HumanRights, #RuleOfLaw, #DemocraticInstitutions and inclusive #CivilSociety. pic.twitter.com/0wlpysP0p8

— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) November 26, 2019