European solidarity corps

Since 2016 Istituto cultura italiana joined the European voluntary service programme (EVS, following ESC) hosting European young people in Georgia since 2018 in order to foster intercultural-exchange, contributing to the renovation of democratic, educational, social and civil structures in Georgia, and to involve young people in activities useful both for the local community, and for their personal and professional growth.

During several projects, we have been leading an editorial board with volunteers for digital publishing, we have been organizing a language club and intercultural exchange involving the local community, organized workshops and lectures at other organizations and institutions, and carried out a daily work on media-literacy and the conscious use of new technologies.

Projects[edit | edit source]

Our projects are distinguished by the right balance (in our opinion) between civic society engagement and skills/key competencies development through qualified personnel. Here you can find some of our latest work and activities.

ESC Empowering Youth Community

Infopack Project Youth on the Bridge, European Identity between Italy and Georgia (part I)

Infopack Project Youth on the Bridge, European Identity between Italy and Georgia (part II)

Infopack Project European-Bridge 2019-2020

Media literacy[edit | edit source]

Istituto cultura italiana from the beginning of its activities and administration has focused on the combination of a cultural offer, ranging from café philo encounters, lectures, painting exhibitions, language lessons – all of them characterized by an international disposition and vocation – with an information processing work, aimed at valorising created data and to let daily life of the organization and its members empowered, rather than "constrained", by data structures originating from their locality and specificity, rather than from the "elsewhere" of multi-national industries and global market.

According to this view, we have cooperated with local partners and friends, for the creation of a IT (information technology) back-end for the management of student's classes and lessons, organization of contacts, timetables, internationalization (i18n) and presentation of curricula, "real time" booking of lessons, an "enhanced" chat encouraging at complexity of communication rather than the radical opposite, installed on our own website, and much, much more, devoting to that approach significant resources of the organization, personal energies, and time.

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Activities[edit | edit source]

Typically our projects are composed by media-literacy activities, focusing on themes proposed by the partner organizations and fitted on the interests of volunteers, and by intercultural activities, with attention for writing of articles, reports, interviews, workshops held at other institutions, language exchange clubs, and if possible, cineforum or theatre's events. Here is a brief summary of the activities organized until now! (attention these contents are not updated, please check here for the latest activities)

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Staff[edit | edit source]

Tommaso de Vivo. (Administrative tasks and task-related support on media-literacy) Tommaso holds a master degree in Philosophy from University of Florence and a "Ph.D." in Civilization of Humanism and Renaissance, with joint-diploma from University of Florence and Paris IV-Sorbonne, in historical-philosophical area. He has been redactor, teacher and professor of computer science in state and private organizations and at University of Florence (degree course "Storia e tutela dei beni archeologici, archivistici e librari") before undertaking his curriculum in humanities, and he is an expert in bibliographical research, digital publishing and semantic data.
Tommaso provides task-related support to volunteers specifically in the field of media-literacy and in the preparation of their workshops.

Kerri Maki (Organizational support) Kerri holds a master's degree in Linguistics from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) (2014). She studied Turkic languages at the graduate level in Turkey prior to relocating to Georgia. She has many years of experience teaching English at all levels, as a private tutor as well as in schools, and working as a freelance translator (Turkish to English) and editor of scientific/academic articles for publication in international peer-reviewed journals. She has supported the rescue of street animals in Turkey and Georgia for many years and currently devotes some of her spare time to that cause.

Mariam Gegeshidze (Organizational support) Mariam Gegeshidze is a passionate medical student, currently continuing her medical studies with a strong interest in ophthalmology. She has gained valuable hands-on experience working as a junior doctor in the hospital emergency department, where she developed critical skills in acute care and crisis management.

Beyond clinical practice, Mariam is deeply committed to volunteer work. She has contributed to various medical initiatives, including translating medical articles to improve accessibility in healthcare and being on the front lines during the fight against COVID-19. Additionally, She combined her passion for sports and philanthropy by participating in a tennis tournament to raise funds for oncology patients.

Mariam has a strong interest in languages, including English, Italian, Russian, and French.

Apart from medicine, she has played tennis since she was 12, achieving victories in several tournaments and showcasing dedication and determination. Outside of work and sports, Mariam finds inspiration in the arts, music, and literature, embracing creativity and lifelong learning.

Salome Popiashvili (project coordinator) Salome is an experienced instructional designer and a passionate advocate for community development and education. With a strong background in e-learning design, Salome has created impactful courses on topics like motivation, conflict management, and gender, using tools like Articulate Rise 360 and Canva. Her expertise extends to LMS administration and AI-driven content development.
Beyond her professional work, Salome has rich experience in volunteering and community-building. She participated in the European Voluntary Service (EVS) in Italy at the "School in the Woods", where she facilitated educational and creative activities, inspiring learners in unique outdoor settings.
In 2020, Salome founded Community Garden Kokopelli, bringing people together to connect through urban gardening and environmental awareness. While the project has since concluded, it remains a testament to her dedication to fostering collaboration and meaningful community impact.

Marina Metreveli (Linguistic support) Marina holds a master's degree in English Language and Literature (1968) and subsequently specialized in Sustainable Rural Tourism. Since 2000 until the present she has worked for democratic engagement organizations such as Save the Children Federation, United Nations Association of Georgia, United Nations Development Programme, International Organization for Migration, United Nations' World Tourism Organization, as well as for a number of language centers thanks to her proficiency in Georgian, Russian and English (native for the first two, C2 for the latter), including European Academic Center, Georgia Police Academy (Ministry of Internal Affairs), and Hualing International Special Economic Zone. Marina heads the International Center for Caucasus Tourism, and has three publications on Tourism and Sustainable Rural Tourism (Countur 2014 and 2015, "Bene" 2016). Marina has considerable experience in international projects, translation and language instruction and is able to support volunteers in English, Georgia and Russian at the highest level.

Gallery (in progress)[edit | edit source]

meeting at Lokal
Students and volunteers
Caritas Georgia and ESC volunteers
moments in Caritas
cafeteria of the Tbilisi airport
a "lobiani" made from a famous bakery
Queen Tamar tower in Tbilisi
Tinatin Tsagareishvili at our office
EVS meeting with Mattia Baldoni and Gabriele Rota
(same)
Mary-Hellen Chatwin at an informal lesson of Italian
our office
additional office room
(renovating...)
the hall of Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire
whiteboard
Literature festival
Lobiani from Leselide's street Machakela
Vegan cupcakes at "Elacy culinary Georgia"

Accommodation[edit | edit source]

Our organization does its best to provide volunteers, and other visiting staff of the organization, with an accommodation comfortable in the long term, located in an affluent area of the city, where all the inhabitants can live with an adequate level of privacy, study/work and have fun.

By tradition of our organization, since 2020, the flat for volunteers is located in this area of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia.

Vazha-Pshavela 2024-2025