Joint Programme

Partnership for Good Governance

Recognising and addressing hate speech remains a challenge across Georgia, where harmful language and attitudes often appear in everyday conversations, media, and online spaces. To respond to this, a series of workshops were held in Kakheti and Batumi, bringing together young people and local professionals to better understand and address these issues.

In Kakheti, 22 schoolchildren from Eastern Georgia took part in a three-day programme designed to actively involve them in learning. Rather than focusing only on theory, the sessions helped them explore how hate speech develops from stereotypes and stigma, and how it affects people in real life. Participants worked on identifying bullying and cyberbullying, questioning common assumptions, and finding practical ways to respond in everyday situations.

A parallel workshop in Batumi brought together around 20 participants from Upper Ajara, including students, teachers, psychologists, and a local resource officer. Through interactive sessions and real-life examples, they learned how to recognise hate speech in different settings, including schools and online. As one participant shared:

“I used to see hate speech as something distant or abstract. This workshop helped me realise how it affects real people every day, including my students and colleagues. Now, I feel ready to take concrete steps to make our community safer and more inclusive.”

Across both locations, participants explored the balance between freedom of expression and the need to protect people from harm. They reflected on how words and behaviour can affect individuals and communities and developed practical ideas on how to respond. Many worked together to identify challenges faced by vulnerable groups and created simple action plans they can apply in their schools and communities.

By using interactive methods and real-life situations, the workshops helped participants build confidence and take on a more active role in addressing hate speech. They left with a clearer understanding of the issue, practical tools to respond, and a shared commitment to building more respectful and inclusive environments. The use of Council of Europe educational tools, such as Compass, Bookmarks, and the WE CAN! campaign, supported this hands-on and engaging approach.

These trainings are part of wider efforts to strengthen cooperation and action at the regional level in Georgia. Activities such as the launch of the Anti-Hate Speech Network in Ajara and further trainings in Batumi are helping local actors respond more effectively to hate speech and support human rights. At the same time, they contribute to increasing the visibility of the Council of Europe and the European Union’s work in the country.

These events are part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project “Combating Hate Speech in Georgia’’.