French Award Human Rights Protectors
Friday, December 16
On December 12, the French Ambassador to Georgia, HE Pascal Meunier, gave an Embassy Award for The Human Rights Protection to the charity association Guria, for its contribution in integrating people with limited abilities. This is the first time that the French Embassy is awarding a Georgian organization for encouraging and facilitating human activities. The topic of this first award was equality and combat against discrimination. The award was several thousand euros, and both Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani and Public Defender Ucha Nanuashvili attended the ceremony. Ambassador Meunier highlighted the importance of Human Rights Protection for French foreign policy. This act was a clear message for Georgian civil society.
HE Meunier stressed that equality in front of the law should be guaranteed by the state. He congratulated the Georgian Government for its progress in this direction. He put particular emphasis on antidiscrimination law adopted in 2014. However, he also mentioned that there are still many challenges: language of hatred, lack of understanding of major human rights, such as education, healthcare and others. In this direction, civil society should play a major role. Ambassador Meunier, as the head of the jury thanked the founder of charity association Guria, Mr Roman Loladze. He also highlighted the activities of all organizations, which participated in that competition.
Special diplomas were granted to the charity fund Sokhumi and its director, Ala Gamakharia. Minister Tsulukiani and Public Defender Nanuashvili congratulated the participants and mentioned the importance of such activities.
