Georgia

Energy Project was implemented in Bediani public school in January 2012. On the basis of above mentioned technique the practical energy training was carried out in the school by ECOVISION staff. Insulation materials for all windows and doors were delivered to the school administration. Students, teachers and parents participated in the training.

Seventy children, ages 4-12, participated in an annual exhibition for young environmentalists titled SPARE in Art. The exhibition was held in ”Chardin” Gallery, Tbilisi, and was dedicated to International Energy Efficiency Day (11.11.11). The event was attended by Mr. George Zedginidze, Deputy Minister of Environment Protection of Georgia.

Mr. Tamaz Epitashvili, one of the farmers in one of the biggest villages in Georgia, attended SPARE seminars on construction of energy efficient devices (solar fruit dryers, solar collectors, energy efficient wood stoves, etc.) organized by SPARE Georgian in May 2011. After consultations and technical support of SPARE Georgia he established small work-shop in his house in Martkopi village in June 2011. Nowadays he produces solar fruit dryers, solar collectors, energy efficient wood stoves, and other energy efficient devices for local market.

Disabled children’s center «Orioni» has been functioning in Zestaponi for already three years. «Orioni» is located in the building of Zestaponi public school # 2. There are 40 children in the center, where children have all kinds of materials and conditions to help them with developing of their skills. 15 children are involved in inclusive education program and permanently attend the public school.

Conclusive SPARE conference was organized in Tbilisi public school #75 in June, 2011. School principle, teachers and students attended the conference. They presented results of one year practical works on energy saving and insulation activities in the school and in their homes. As a result of energy saving measures energy consumption was reduced by 10% in the school and by 15-20% in each family.

International seminar and annual coordination meeting, devoted to the SPARE development in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia took place 27-29 of May in Ukraine. Participants discussed development of educational materials for schoolchildren, domestic practical project on renewable energy and energy efficiency, NGO capacity building and involvement to national energy policy.

Teacher’s seminar was organized by EcoVision under the SPARE - International School Project for Application of Resources and Energy within the frame of Tbilisi Sustainable Energy Week, April 11-15, 2011. Tbilisi Georgia.

Tbilisi is the first capital city in the Eastern Partnership countries of the EU to sign the Covenant of Mayors and together with other important obligations, the city become responsible for organizing ‘Sustainable Energy Days’ every year.

Tbilisi City Hall in cooperation with Energy Efficiency Center Georgia, Union for Sustainable Development ECOVISION, Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of Earth, Wood Service Ltd with the support of other partners, is organizing ‘Sustainable Energy Week’ in Tbilisi, that will take place on 11-15 April, 2011. Within the frames of the Week more than 20 actions and events of different theme is considered to be disposed.

Environmental Quiz for Georgia schools was organized by Union for Sustainable Development “EcoVision” and NGO – “Environmental Protection for Children” in Tbilisi State University on February 25, 2011 under the SPARE Georgia.

Open Lessons on energy saving were carried out by SPARE teachers in 5 public schools (1 in Bagdadi, 2 in Tbilisi, 1 Gori, 1 in Rustavi). The parents attended the open lessons as well. The children presented presentations and paintings on energy saving thematic. Energy audit was carried out in Bagdadi public school. As a result insulation activities for the school roof were planned. Environmental week was organized in St. Tamar School in Tbilisi.

On May 28th to 31st an international semonar on the development of the SPARE project took place in Minsk. An important theme of the workshop was the integration of SPARE project into the state education systems in the participants’ countries, as well as practical solutions for energy saving. Participants visited a straw house and a multistory house that was built with energy-saving technologies and was recommended as a model for construction in Belarus.

Norges Naturvernforbund/Friends of the Earth Norway has for several years cooperated with NGO partners in EECCA region on education, practical projects and policy development around energy and climate issues. We have now got the possibility to invite most of our NGO cooperation partners to Oslo, and on the 3rd of June we use the opportunity to arrange a conference on energy and climate in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA-region).

SPARE and local coordinators in Georgia from EcoVision has rebuilt the minor wing of school number 7 in Gori, Georgia. All the windows were blown out when a bomb hit nearby the school during the war actions in August. 1500 pupils have since the war had to attend education in regional schools.

SPARE international energy saving day started on November 10 at AARHUS Center Georgia, at Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. Representatives from AARHUS Center Georgia, OSCE mission to Georgia, Private Company WoodService (WS), Tbilisi State University, Georgia Green Movement, NGO EcoVision, Tbilisi and Gori SPARE schools were among the organizers and participants of the event.

SPARE coordinators, teachers and pupils from the three Caucasian countries Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have in the end of September gathered for regional SPARE seminar in the mountain village Gudauri, Georgia. The participants have been discussing the development of SPARE in the region, the consequences of climate change and methods to teach pupils what climate change is and how it will affect the Caucasus.

SPARE coordinators from 11 countries have in the end of April been gathered for international SPARE meeting in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. The coordinators have been discussing results and development of educational and practical energy activities. The activity of SPARE is higher than ever, with 3 000 schools and 150 000 pupils participating in the project during the educational year 2007-2008.

Workshops whit the slogan “Energy Saving; Past, Present and Future” was held in the mountain regions of South-Georgia. This very successful experiment gave possibility for more than 100 teachers and schoolchildren to learn about the energy saving program SPARE.

SPARE made contacts at the VI Environmental Ministerial Conference of Easter Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA).
The Sixth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe" (EfE) was held in Belgrade (Serbia) from 10 to 12 October 2007. SPARE participated with exhibition stand, presented by SPARE team, including Norwegian Society for Conservation of Nature, BIOM (Kyrgyzstan), For the Earth (Tajikistan), Friends of the Baltic (Russia), Eco-vision (Georgia).