IDP children see Shakespeare in Tbilisi

On November 6 the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation organised a day out for teenage IDPs from the August 2008 war living in the villages of Saguramo, Koda and Tsinamdzgvriaant Kari. They attended a performance of Macbeth at the Tbilisi Music and Drama Theatre. The organisers said that such an event is very important for the psychological rehabilitation of IDP children.

The head of the Department of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation, Tamar Basilia, explained that the Ministry often supports such events and IDP children are often taken to Tbilisi to attend different plays, cartoon films and movies. “Such trips are very important for the children. On the one hand they help ensure the correct development of the future generation, on the other these are children who have been in a difficult situation psychologically since the August war, so it also serves as psychological assistance for them,” she said. The organisers originally chose of group of IDP teenagers aged from 15 to 17 to see Shakespeare’s play, but it later turned out some of them were under 15 as well.

Before the play Deputy Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia Gilles Janvier greeted the children. He told The Messenger that one of the main priorities of the EU mission in Georgia is to support programmes connected with IDP children. “Our goal is to return them to normal life as soon as possible. The Georgian Government is fully in charge of this event. The EU has a very close relationship with the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation. It always does its best, when we raise specific issues it is always pleased to cooperate with us,” he added.

Although the children were a bit young for a Shakespeare play they seemed glad to be able to see it at the theatre of Music and Drama. Before the play began they received presents from the EU mission.

“This is the third time I’ve been taken to Tbilisi with my friends. I liked being here very much, it was very interesting, I got a present and I liked that as well”, said Beka Kapanadze, 13, originally from Avnevi but now living in Tsinamdzgvriaant Kari. The organisers, from the Ministry of Refugees, said that they will continue to organise such trips in future.