On October 15-17, 2023 chairperson of Civic IDEA, Tinatin Khidasheli attended the “Forum 2000” held in Prague, where she participated as a speaker in two discussions.
On October 16 she participated in a panel called, “Claiming the Center in Georgia “. This panel highlights women politicians in Georgia addressing political polarization by promoting centrist parties and parliamentary collaboration. Empowering women is vital for overcoming personal rivalries and restoring democratic reform and European integration. While the Georgian population favors European integration, the government builds ties with Russia and China. Recent polarization between the UNM and GD overshadowed smaller center parties, limiting political representation. The October 2024 elections offer a chance for change with new collaboration-friendly rules. Young women leaders such as those on this panel can renew Georgian politics through cooperation and representing new voices.
On October 17 Tinatin Khidasheli participated in a panel called, ,, Is the Chinese World Replacing Russkiy Mir in Central Asia and the Caucasus?’’ While the Kremlin may pretend Russia is still a global power capable of imposing its will on its neighbours, in reality, Russia’s capacity to project real power is weakening and will continue to wane. Meanwhile, China is systematically penetrating Central Asia and the Caucasus, regions previously thought to be ”Russian turff” and filling the vacuum. Even Russia is increasingly dependent on China. Europe, as usual, is behind the curve. With so much of Europe’s attention to Ukraine, this encroachment by China into the Caucasus and Central Asia has been overlooked. What is the current state of affairs? What can be done to draw attention to the risks of growing Chinese influence in the region? Alongside participation in the panel, Tinatin Khidasheli leads the Forum 2000 China working group.
