In summer 2024 DVV International Georgia, with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office, launched the “Voices of Democracy” project to promote civic participation, media literacy and democratic values in Georgia’s regions. The project is ongoing and will be finalized in 2026.
At the center of this initiative are 15 Civic Engagement Clubs, established in DVV International-supported Adult Education Centers across the country. These clubs have become community learning spaces where more than 5500 participants (and growing) are engaging with critical issues through workshops, discussions and creative activities.
The topics go beyond theory. Participants learn how to recognize disinformation, engage in respectful political dialogue, understand democratic institutions and promote inclusion in their own communities. Each of the Civic Engagement Clubs carries out activities that reflect its region’s voice and challenges.
To support this grassroots action, the project developed several methodological Democracy Learning papers. Educators across the country will use these resources to teach democracy-related topics in schools and non-formal education settings. In parallel, over 1050 educators including teachers, adult educators and trainers took part in a tailored Training program on Democracy and Media Literacy to strengthen their ability to lead informed, engaging discussions on difficult but essential topics.
Creative tools played a central role. Across the 15 centers, community members participated in forum theatre sessions, acting out scenarios of conflict, disinformation and marginalization and exploring how to respond constructively. Two educational board games, “Democracy Voices” and “Media Compass,” were designed and tested to help learners explore democratic concepts and media navigation through play.
The project also promoted learning through public events. The Adult Education centers hosted documentary and fiction film screenings and public lectures followed by discussions, helping communities reflect on information and real-life stories of civic courage and resilience.
Voices of Democracy project is building a different kind of understanding: one based on critical thinking and grassroots leadership. It brought the idea that democracy is not abstract — it’s local, it’s lived, and it grows stronger when communities are trusted and supported to make own decisions and lead their implementation.