The Georgian Bar Association participated in a two-day training course on internal and external communication. The status quo and possible challenges that the Georgian Bar Association are facing in reaching out to its members and the external audience were overviewed by the Council of Europe’s international expert, Ms Claire Hogan. This session was followed by an analysis of the three key issues in all communication strategies: Message, Media and Market. Ms Hogan, shared her experience as a member of the Irish Bar Association’s External Communication Committee, on producing online weekly bulletins, annual journals and other tools for designing an efficient media engagement strategy. She further presented the virtual room that every Irish lawyer accesses individually, through the password-protected system and which gives the opportunity to disseminate targeted messages specifically among the lawyers.
Effective ways of influencing the audience, practical tips for effective verbal and written communication and possible tools for improving the Georgian Bar Association image and reputation were presented by a national communication expert, Mr Vladimer Mkervalishvili. Participants welcomed the recommendations and stressed the importance of sharing well-balanced mix of international and national approaches. Concrete plans were made for disseminating the monthly online bulletin. “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him”; this Ralph Waldo Emerson quote summed up and ended the training session.
The training took place in Georgia on 22-23 January under the EU/CoE Joint Project "Support to the Georgian Bar Association", which is funded through the Programmatic Cooperation Framework for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. The Council of Europe and European Union are working in partnership with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus to help them meet European standards in human rights, democracy and the rule of law and improve the lives of citizens.