The USAID Rule of Law Program-supported Human Rights University Week, built upon the December 10th celebration of Human Rights Day, came to an end. During the week, 17 universities from all over Georgia organized 28 public events on different themes and topics such as the candidacy status of European Union and its membership, protecting the rights of women, and fundamental rights outlined in the constitution of Georgia, and rights of the child.

Free University of Tbilisi, kicked off the week on December 2, with a ceremony featuring opening remarks from Revaz Khoperia, Dean of the Law School of the Free University of Tbilisi, and Giorgi Chkheidze, Chief of Party of the USAID Rule of Law Program. The ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on the topic Candidate Status for EU Membership: Challenges and Prospects for Georgia.

Associate Professor of Free University of Tbilisi Giorgi Burjanadze, Director of EU Studies Center at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies Kakha Gogolashvili, and National Human Rights Officer at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Besarion Bokhashvili, discussed the issues of human rights and the rule of law as the basis of European integration; the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and its harmonization with the European Convention as well as the requirements of the European Union in the field of human rights.

On December 6, 2023, Free University held a presentation of the research on Prohibition and Dissolution of Political Parties. The presentation was led by the authors of the study Giorgi Beraia, invited lecturer of Free University of Tbilisi, and Giorgi Papuashvili, Professorate Ilia State University. Students of the School of Law of the Free University of Tbilisi Anamaria Tavartkiladze, Lika Turmanauli, Nanuka Simonishvili, Mariam Alasania, as well as the students of the Faculty of Law of Samtskhe-Javakheti State University Veronica Gvaramadze and Magda Jikuri also worked on the research. During the presentation, the researchers discussed the history of the emergence of political parties, spoke about the stages of their formation and development, and the importance of parties and their role in different periods of Georgian history. International practice and standards for prohibition of political parties were discussed as well.

On December 7, 2023, Free University of Tbilisi hosted the presentation of a constitutional law claim recently prepared by students and filed at Georgia’s Constitutional Court (plaintiffs in the case is the non-governmental organization Salam). The claim challenged the Law of Georgia on Civil Acts, which limits the possibility of changing one’s surname. If successful, this constitutional challenge could help those members of national minorities whose surnames were changed to false surnames during the Soviet Union occupation, reclaim their original surnames. During the presentation of the case, Salam board member Ayhan Hasanli, spoke about the history of changing surnames during the Soviet Union occupation and how Salam has been trying to solve this problem for years. Students of the School of Law of the Free University Tamar Tkeshelashvili and Mariam Svanidze, discussed the legal aspects of the constitutional claim and the possible consequences of the decision. The claim was prepared by students of the School of Law of Free University of Tbilisi in collaboration with students from the Faculty of Law of Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University.

The 17 universities that participated in University Human Rights Week were as follows: 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, Georgian National University SEU, University of Georgia, Georgian-American University, European University, Akaki Tsereteli State University (Kutaisi), Shota Rustaveli State University (Batumi), Shota Meskhia State Teaching University (Zugdidi), Samtskhe-Javakheti State University (Akhaltsikhe) and Iakob Gogebashvili State University (Telavi). During the week, 28 different human rights-related events took place in 6 cities of Georgia.

The final event of the week was the presentation of an award to an important contributor to human rights scholarship. The award was given to posthumously to Ilia State University Professor Konstantine Kublashvili.  His wife Mari Meskhi, accepted on his behalf.