Ambassador Bass Opens Gori Center for Civic Engagement

December 1, 2011

Ambassador Bass, Deputy Governor Chkheidze Attended Debate at Gori CCE on December 1

Ambassador John Bass formally inaugurated a U.S. Government-supported Centerfor Civic Engagement in Gori on Thursday, December 1.

The center is one of ten U.S. Government-funded centers that will operate in citiesacross Georgia to offer the public places to gather and engage in open debate anddiscourse on issues of public concern. The process of fostering dialogue is intendedto encourage civic engagement and improve transparency. The centers are leased andoperated for the people of those cities by the United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID). The U.S. Government has invested $5 million in the tencenters in Ozurgeti, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gori, Zugdidi, Batumi, Akhaltsikhe, Rustavi,Marneuli, and Gurjaani.

The centers are a part of the USG commitment to supporting the people of Georgia inthe building of democracy and the active participation in public life.