Civil Forum for Peace

Contact Information

• Where – Georgia
• Website – www.cforum.org
• Contact Person – Giorgi Stepnadze
• Email – info@cforum.org
• Address – Vazha-Pshavela 4/1, 0177, Tbilisi, Georgia
• Other – civilforumorg@gmail.com

Areas of Expertise

Civil Forum for Peace has expertise in a range of areas, including:

• Dialogue

Main Aims and Objectives

The Georgian-Ossetian Civil Forum was founded in 2007 in the initiative of Georgian and Ossetian civil society activists and NGO’s with the support of Dutch peace organization IKV PAX Christi.

In the aim of building trust and creating peaceful atmosphere of coexistence in Georgian and Ossetian societies Civil Forum promotes dialogue between the divided groups. More specifically Forum organizes different meetings among Georgian and Ossetian activists, experts and journalists. Organization sets youth engagement in this kind of events as one of its main priorities. For sharing experience Civil Forum with the support of donors organizes Georgian-Ossetian study trips in different European countries.

Nowadays, Forum gathers more than 100 civil activists and five nongovernmental organizations from Georgia and South Ossetia. The representatives of Georgian and Ossetian organizations as well as international organizations are invited as partners and experts in the framework of different projects.

The Organization has two websites – (Russian-language information portal; Georgian and English language corporative website) and a Facebook page.

Upholding the Principles of Conflict Transformation

The Civil Forum upholds the main principles of conflict transformation through:

• Promoting dialogue between Georgian and Ossetian societies;
• Sustaining full social integration of those affected by Georgian-Ossetian conflict and the war of 2008.
• Peaceful resolution of the conflict;
• Restoring trust between Georgian and Ossetian societies;
• Protecting the rights and the interests of those affected by Georgian Ossetian conflict and the war of 2008;
• Protecting the rights of IDP’s;
• Setting up alternative negotiation schemes through the participation of analysts and leaders;
• Organizing the peace process;
• Supporting youth initiatives and to launch advocacy campaigns on national and international levels;
• Developing economic, social and cultural links;
• Reinforcing civil society;
• Mobilizing resources necessary for funding some reasonable projects and programs.
• Cooperating with different business companies, donors and foundations.

The Civil Forum for Peace strongly believes that this processes which is oriented to a peaceful dialogue (especially with the young generation) are the steps forward for a peaceful negotiation, it activates the societies from the conflict divided sides and promotes tolerance and confidence.

Where and with Whom?

The main area which Civil Forum covers is Georgia and its breakaway region South Ossetia. It is active in a variety of cities: Tbilisi, Gori, Batumi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Zugdidi and the capital of South Ossetia Tskhinvali.

The Civil Forum is also active in the South Caucasus: Armenia, Yerevan.

Civil Forum for Peace cooperates with partners in the Balkans: Several non governmental organizations and universities are our partners: Youth initiative of human rights (Serbia), European youth parliament Serbia, Western Balkans Institute (Serbia), University of Belgrade, the faculty of Security, Center for democratic development Europolis (Serbia), University of Pristina (Kosovo), Alternative cultural center of Gracanica (Kosovo), ESN Thessaloniki (Greece).

Organization is funded according to the budgets of grant programs submitted to local and international donor organizations. Among the Civil Forum’s donors are – PAX, Black Sea Trust, COBERM, Georgian Railway, Georgia Children and Youth Development Fund , OPEN society Georgia.

Cooperation on local level:

• Ministry of Civic Engagement and Reconciliation;
• Ministry of Sports and Youth;
• Temporary commission on territorial integrity (Parliament);
• Public defender’s office;
• NGO`s working on conflicts and negotiation.

International Cooperation:

• Erasmus + ;
• Eastern Partnership platform of European Union;
• EUMM (European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia);
• COBERM;
• EU.

Main Activities in the Field of Conflict Transformation

Since its establishment Civil Forum has implemented various programmes and iniciatives oriented to peace and confidence building, including:

• Youth Peace Express (2013-2014);
• Georgian-Ossetian youth film – Peace Express (2014);
• Georgian-Ossetian Cooperation Trade Union Platform (2014);
• Georgian-Ossetian Peace Area (2012);
• Journalists for Peace (2012);
• Georgian and Ossetian Ex-Combatants for Non-Violence (2013);
• Georgian and Ossetian Young Photographers’ Solidarity to Peace (2012-2013);
• Georgian-Ossetian Ankara Talks (2009-2012);
• Sustainability of IDPs from Tskhinvali Region (2011);
• Legal Support to IDPs (2011) and etc…

The project youth peace express is one of the successful examples of the peaceful dialogue process between Georgian and Ossetian young generation. The project is a part of Georgiana and Ossetian dialogue strategy, this means  to develop tolenance and integration in the society, especially  among Georgian and Ossetian youth.

Project aims:

1. To improve the relationship of Georgian and Ossetian youth through the educational trip.
2. Formation and establishment the ways of cooperation between those youth, which information and knowledge will be shared by their European peers.

In the framework of this project a documentary movie was launched.