What is the state of democracy in Ukraine, Georgia and the Black Sea region? How has the war in Ukraine impacted recent democratic advances in the country and the region? And how has it impacted the perspectives on democracy especially of young people? Beyond security, shrinking civic space has made work increasingly difficult for civil society, which is essential to establish safe spaces for young individuals to explore and engage with democracy.

Sasha Zuryan, a Ukrainian activist residing in Georgia, shared insights about her youth organization, World of Tolerance. They create all kind of spaces, offline and online, for young people to exchange their experiences, to learn from each other, to support each other, especially in times of crisis for the civil society.

Mini Documentary - Sasha explains the realities and challenges of democracy activism in Georgia

During a webinar on 2 November, Sasha was joined by Anna Proskurina to discuss direct democracy, youth engagement, and current political trends in Ukraine and Georgia. Our final speaker was Dr Yuliyana Bidenko, professor at Karazin Kharkiv National University. She specialises in democratisation and civil society in Eastern Europe.

Re-watch the webinar here: