Youth of Georgia and Russia!

Today we apply to you, apply to each other, because we are ashamed. We are ashamed that political ambitions, poor judgment and aggression of our state leaderships might lead to our miscommunication and estrangement. We are ashamed that after wine, “Borjomi” and possibility to visit each other without visas, we may lose our associates. We do not want rising generations to forget enduring friendship of the Russian and Georgian peoples and remember only confrontation and conflicts.

We do not want to dispute about the borders. We are not interested in geographical titles and color of peacemakers’ uniform. We seek to believe that expert politicians are able to communicate without hysterics and deterrence. However, currently situation, alas, moves elsewise.

We do want to preserve – or finally create – space for communication between young people from Georgia and Russia in order to discuss our interests and concerns, in order to make those, who were elected by us, listen to the voices of people, they pretend to protect.

We propose to create Russian-Georgian Youth Civic Dialogue – free platform for public activists, youth organizations and ordinary people, who do not agree with policy of disunion. We propose not only to keep recently disturbed balance, notwithstanding “geopolitics” and “economic” interests – we want to build new. We dream about day when young people from Russia (including North Caucasus) and Georgia will communicate freely, visit each other without fear of declaring their nationality, work and create together, support each other’s development.  We have enough to speak out and share.

We encourage Georgian and Russian authorities to put an end to the conflict escalation, despite vested interests of concrete persons and “actualite”. We call those, who are ready to share responsibility for this, to join YCD or create own initiative, not only from Russia or Georgia, but from other state also. Because states are not territories, but people leaving on these territories. If you estimate sustentation of the horizontal ties and communication between ordinary people as important at the various levels: business and trade, culture, education and other – join us!

ycd@yhrm.org

Activists of the International Network – Youth Human Rights Protection Movement