Human Rights Day, the USAID Rule of Law Program-supported Annual Academic Human Rights Week came to an end with a ceremony that presented awards to individuals in two categories: a human rights activist and a scholar who contributed to the development of the science of human rights. 

This year, by the unanimous decision of an awards committee made up of university representatives, the award to a human rights activist was granted to Irakli Bebua. Mr. Bebua, a citizen of Georgia, was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment for attempting to burn the flag of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia. On September 30, 2020, when the separatist region was celebrating "Independence and Victory Day," Mr. Bebua tried to burn the flag attached to the facade of the regional House of Culture in Gali. Mr. Bebua is currently serving his sentence in the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, so the award was given to his mother, who expressed appreciation towards the participant universities for honoring her son.

The award for a scholar who contributed to the development of the science of human rights was given to Avtandil Demetrashvili. Professor Demetrashvili was the secretary of the Constitutional Commission and a member and president of the Constitutional Court of Georgia. He is one of the co-authors of the Constitution of Georgia and Emeritus Professor of Constitutional Law at Tbilisi State University. With his outstanding work, Professor Demetrashvili greatly contributed to the development of human rights science in Georgia. Sophio Demetrashvili, his daughter, accepted the award and thanked the universities for acknowledging her father`s contribution to the science and years of professional work.

Human Rights Week 2022 was launched on December 2, 2022, and involved fifteen universities: Free University of Tbilisi, Tbilisi State University, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, Caucasus University, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University, International Black Sea University, Ilia State University, Grigol Robakidze University, Alte University, Georgian National University SEU, University of Georgia, Akaki Tsereteli State University (Kutaisi), Shota Rustaveli State University (Batumi), Gori State University (Gori), and Shota Meskhia State Teaching University (Zugdidi). The agenda for the week included 30 public discussions and meetings, all of which echoed the main message of the global human rights campaign: ‘Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All!’

For the first time in the eight years that Human Rights Week has been held, the opening ceremony was held at a regional university, Gori State University. The Week was opened by Revaz Khoperia, Dean of the Law School at Free University of Tbilisi, who spoke about the role and significance of the Week. The audience also heard from USAID Rule of Law Program Chief of Party Giorgi Chkheidze, Rector of the Gori State University Giorgi Sosiashvili, and other participant university representatives. 

The opening ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on the Russian-Ukrainian War and Human Rights. The speakers included Raul Chilachava, a diplomat, scientist, translator, poet, journalist; Nana Mchedlidze, Associate Professor at Alte University, Assistant at Tbilisi State University, and specialist in European human rights law; and Tamar Tomashvili, Associate Professor at Free University of Tbilisi. The meeting was moderated by Tinatin Goletiani, Associate Professor at Ilia State University. The speakers talked about the human rights violations and war crimes that Russia has committed and is committing in Ukraine, as well as the legal remedies that Ukraine can seek to restore its violated rights. After the meeting, the speakers answered students' questions.