08.20.2007
On June 1, 2007, the Rule of Law Initiative’s Georgia office, together withadministrators from Tbilisi State University, TSU Law Faculty, and the Ministry of Education and Sciences of Georgia conducted a joint street law event to commemorate International Children’s Day. Approximately 75 students fromthree Tbilisi public schools (#53, #151, and First Experimental High School)participated in their first interactive street law training, at the end ofwhich the students watched and discussed a animated program on street law animation developed by the Initiative’s Georgia office late last year.
Rule of Law Initiative Junior Staff Attorney Medea Matiashvili and five TSU law students introduced the high school students to street law and conducted three demonstrative trainings on conflict resolution, human rights, and civillaw matters. The selected TSU students had participated in the ABA-funded“Train the Trainer” program, which took place at Georgetown University Law Center during fall 2006. To prepare for the event, TSU law students and Initiative staff modified the lesson plans to suit the purpose of the event and the young target audience. The principals from each high school attended the event and asked the organizers to bring the street law project inside theirschools. Later during the month, the Georgia office received a thank you note from TSU Rector Gia Khubua for organizing such an interesting event.
The Rule of Law Initiative and TSU Law Faculty plan to cooperate on opening a Street Law Clinic as a for-credit course in fall 2007. Contact Senio rLegal Advisor Nino Khurtsidze ([email protected]) for more information.