27 March 2010, 11:00
In Georgia, international seminar discusses roots of Caucasian conflicts
The international seminar on non-violent conflict settlement "Overcoming European Crisis by Non-Violent Methods; Philosophy and Practice" held in Georgia became a forum, where experts from different countries could exchange opinions on conflicts in the Caucasus.
In the course of training sessions, participants from Armenia, Turkey, Sweden, Russia, Slovakia, Georgia, Latvia, Austria and Poland were split into international groups and tried jointly to find the reasons of conflicts: social, political, religious and national. Also, the trainers put the task to think up some civil actions aimed at settling conflicts and contradictions, from which violence frequently evolves.
When the debate topics touched on territorial and political disputes, which have their roots deep in history, disagreements were revealed inside the groups. Thus, the members of the Georgian delegation explained their Austrian colleagues that "the conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia is not international, but the home problem of Georgia."
Christine Asatryan, who represented Armenia, and who is leader of the informal group named the "National Board of Youth of Armenia", said that, despite the old Armenian-Turkish conflict, young people of both countries try to address it at the level of civil actions and public relations. The problem with Azerbaijan is much more difficult, as she said.
The participants of the seminar were 35 activists from different countries; while the Georgian youth organization named "Droni" acted as the organizer of the event.
Author: Lidia Mikhalchenko Source: CK correspondent
