During May 21-24, 2014 the Moldova Central Election Commission Training Center delegation visited the Georgia Central Election Commission the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings. The visit was aimed at sharing experience at the international level in the implementation of training programs on the electoral issues. The members of the delegation held meetings with Ms. Tamar Zhvania, CEC Chair and the CEC members. They shared with the Moldova Training Center representatives the strategic vision of the CEC on the importance of the training component for supporting professionalism of the Georgia electoral administration.

They also met with Ms. Natia Zaalishvili, director of the CEC Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings. She provided to the delegation members detailed information about establishing the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings, its mission and activities during the periods of elections and other periods. The representatives of the Moldova and Georgia Training Centers discussed the challenges to the successful implementation of the training function in the electoral field. Through presentations the representatives of both centers shared information about training programs introduced for various target groups, including for the education of voters, proven methodology and developed training materials.

As part of the visit the delegation members attended the trainings conducted by the CEC Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings for mass media representatives and precinct election commission members, as well as visited the Telavi district election commission where they were briefed about the operations of the Commission and discussed the importance and necessity of the electoral administration trainings.

Furthermore, the members of the delegation had a meeting with Sopio Sichinava, head of the Coordination and Management Department, CEC who provided additional information to the participants about training, awareness raising projects implemented with the people with disabilities and ethnic minority groups. And Ekaterine Azarashvili, CEC spokesperson showed to the delegation representatives photo-video exhibition – “Elections – the Architect of the Nation” developed with the support of the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia and the National Archives.

At the summarizing meeting the representatives of the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings of Georgia and the Moldova Training Center discussed the prospects of future cooperation. Similar project for sharing experience about the implementation of training programs in electoral fields has also been implemented under the international partnership with the Republic of Albania Central Election Commission. Natia Zaalishvili, Director of the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings visited Tirana, Albania at the invitation of the Republic of Albania Central Election Commission, with OSCE and the Council of Europe support to attend the workshop (March 27-May 1, 2014) and made a presentation about principal aspects of the operation of the CEC Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings.