Georgia is ethnically very diverse country where apart of Georgians, Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Ukrainians, Russians, Greeks, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Kists, Yezids and other ethnic minorities are living. According to the “National integration and tolerance in Georgia assessment survey report” 2007-2008, implemented by UN Association of Georgia and supported by USAID from total population of Georgia (4,371,535) following ethnic groups are currently living in Georgia:
Georgia’s ethnic composition varied from one historical epoch to another and this happened as the result of certain economic, political or social factors. Georgian academic Vakhtang Jaoshvili identified major stages in the history of Georgia that influenced on ethnic composition of Georgia: form medieval times up to late 18th century; from 19th century up to the 1921 when Soviets conquered Georgia; from 1921 to the collapse of USSR and present days, since the declaration of independence.
As Georgia during the medieval times remained to be the victim of military aggression coming from its neighbors, territories near the borders, was very often deserted by Georgians and vacated places were occupied by other ethnic groups. In 15th century Muslims moved in Kvemo Kartli. Ossetians also moved from Northern Caucassus and settled in Georgia at this era and in 18th century Greeks appeared in Georgia as well. So by the early 19th century Georgians were only four-fifths of total population.
In the beginning of 19th century a big wave of foreign groups were deliberately settled in Georgia. In 1832 Georgians were 75.9 percent of total population in comparison to 1800 when this number was 79.4. It all started when Russian empire established its rule over Georgia and because of economical or military interests deliberately replaced Georgians in the border areas with other ethnic groups. Russia forced Muslim Georgians in the beginning of 19th century to move from Samtskhe-Javakheti to Ottoman Empire and they were replaced by Armenians who encouraged by Russia left Turkey. In 1830 the number of Armenians settled there reached 35,000. By 1830 18 Greek settlements appeared in Georgia as well. In addition Georgia also remained potential place of residence for Russian demoralized soldiers and religious sects like Dukhobors. During World War I Kurds and Assyrians appeared in Georgia as well.
Under Soviet ruling Georgia was under mass wave of Migrants especially from Ukrainians, Russians, Ossetians and Armenians. In addition, the increase of birth rate among Jews, Azerbaijanis or other ethnic groups lead to the serious decrease in ethnic Georgians and by 1939, first time in the history of Georgia, Georgians were less than two-third of the whole population. But after World War II a lot of people started to leave Georgia and most of them were non-Georgians and this led to the increase of share of Georgians. By the year 1979 the share of Georgians in the cities and towns was 62.1 percent and in countryside this number was 75.7. The collapse of Soviet Union led to the serious waves of emigration from Georgia and most of those emigrants were not Georgians, so if ethnic minorities in 1989 constituted 30 percent of total population, by the year 2002 this number dropped down to 16 percent.
As Georgian population still remains to be ethnically very diverse as Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Abkhazians, Ossetians, Russians or Ukrainians or other ethnic minorities are settled in Georgia, government worked out special plan for their integration into the society. On August 2005 Civil Integration and Tolerance Council was created by Georgian government. The main function of which was to study existing situation in Georgia around the issue of tolerance toward ethnic minorities and the level of their participation in political live. The council defined six main priority areas for development of policy papers and consequently created six working groups inside the council: Rule of Law; Education; Culture; Social and Regional Integration of Society; Media; Civic Participation;
As the full right member of international community Georgia has ratified several international agreements that provide strong guarantees for ethnic minorities living on the territory of Georgia. These agreements are following:
Beside those international agreements constitution of Georgia also recognizes the equal rights of every citizen despite their skin color, race, religion, ethnic origin or nationality. Any facts violation of equality of citizens is punishable under the Georgian law.
According to the Georgian Law on General Education every citizen of Georgia has a right on receiving secondary education in native language if Georgian is not their native. But in addition it is also obligatory to teach state language in such school as well. Today Georgian government is funding:
In order to provide equal opportunity for every citizen of Georgia to receive higher education in 2008 first time national examination in general skills was conducted in Azeri and Armenian languages as well.
In 2005 Zurab Zhvania school of Public Administration was founded with the assistance of president and state in order to implement and promote democratic values in regional governmental and self-governmental institutions. Improve the quality of social services, civil service etc. Beside the preparation of civil servants school also lunches the program of teaching Georgian language focused on ethnic minorities.
The Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports of Georgia has been running several programs to support and protect ethnic minorities and their cultural heritage. This program implies rehabilitation and establishment of libraries for ethnic minorities, inventory and stationary of historical monuments of ethnic minorities across Georgia, exhibitions, presentations and studies of different cultures, funding theaters of local importance etc.
As Georgian government sees the decrease of unemployment in the regions mostly settled by ethnic minorities is the key on the way of their integration into society. That’s why government provides cheap credits for local businesses in these regions. In total 6,941,500 GEL has been provided for such projects as re-equipment of wood processing, development of construction material producing, honey production etc. in the regions settled by ethnic minorities.
Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB) is the only media source legally obliged to broadcast in minority languages. On March 21, 2008 Georgian parliament changed the Law on Broadcasting and GPB was obliged to spend at least 25 % of its budget on programs related to South Ossetia and Abkhazia as well as on programs concerning ethnic minorities.
In order to allow ethnic minorities living in Georgia to be well informed about events taking place in the country GPB news program “Moambe” in different languages i.e. Abkhazian, Ossetian, Russian, Armenian, Azeri and Kurdish. (www.gpb.ge.) Since 2007 weekly radio bridge is held with Baku and Yerevan duration of which is about 50 minutes.
Since June 2, 2007 on GPB talk show Italian Yard has been aired, the main aim of which is to promote dialogue among ethnic minorities living in Georgia and to encourage their successful integration into society. The show itself is conducted in Georgian and is designed for wider audience.
The format was designed with guidance of U.S journalist and producer Stan Matthews. The Talk Show crew acts according to the recommendations by GPB’s minority council and considers result of surveys carried out by UN association of Georgia and other NGOs. The show crew frequently receives letters from ethnic minorities living in Samstkhe-Javakheti through the post boxes placed in the region.
The project of TV show Italian Yard is carried out with the assistance of USAID in the frames of National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia program of the United Nations Association of Georgia.
Apart from participation in elections and decision making process there also should be wider opportunities for civic participation that implies monitoring and consultation. The important step on this way was the memorandum signed on June 26, 2008 between Civil Integration and Tolerance Council and the Ethnic Minorities Council within Ombudsman’s Office.
(www.una.ge)
The web-site diversity.ge is the first web-page in the Georgia dedicated to the issues of ethnic minorities and it also is the largest databases available online for everyone interested in this issue. The site itself is available in three languages (Georgian, Russian and English) that enable it to be useful for wide range of users. The user of web-page can get complete information about history of ethnic minorities living in Georgia as well as about current or upcoming events. On the web-site the interactive map of areas of Georgia populated by ethnic minorities are available (http://www.diversity.ge/rus/map.php) as well as calendar of all ethnic or religious groups can be found. (http://www.diversity.ge/rus/calendar.php) The web site was designed and partly is administrated by Presidents administration of Georgia in the frames of the program National Integration and Tolerance in Georgia implemented by UN Association of Georgia.
Notes: Integration Assessment Georgia Survey Report State Policy Journal National Concept and Action Plan for Tolerance and Civic Integration
External links: UN Association of Georgia Official Website Diversity Georgia, website Georgian Public Broadcasting Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development ALPE Foundation Open Society Georgia Foundation Liberty Institute Civic Initiative Center Public Defender of Georgia