Academy for Peace and Development

Address 29/20 Kazbegi Ave., 2 floor,
Postcode Tbilisi 0177
Country Georgia
Phone number +995 32 399 092, +995 90 955 855
Fax number +995 32 399 092
Website www.apd.ge
Facebook group http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43889301233
Date of foundation October 28, 2002
Name Contact person Sebastian Schweitzer
Email contact person email hidden; JavaScript is required
Number of Staff 9
Number of Volunteers 8 EVS volunteers and 20 local volunteers
Vision and aims of organization Mission: The Academy for Peace and Development (APD) is an international, non-governmental, non-profit, non-political youth organisation, which aims at empowering youth, promoting peace, tolerance and solidarity in South Caucasus, through assisting young people to acquire knowledge and develop their skills and competencies. 

Objectives
- To provide high quality programs to young people with fewer opportunities (from a less-privileged cultural, geographical or socio-economic background, or with disabilities);
- To develop leaders who are committed to peace, democracy and solidarity;
- To provide practical community-based educational opportunities for youth;
- To support the peaceful and non-violent process of transformation of the conflicts in Caucasus through providing knowledge, skills and competencies to youth, youth leaders and youth workers;
- To promote integration of young people into society and their involvement in self initiatives to support solving community, educational, economical, environmental and social problems;
- To promote better understanding of the diversity of common cultures by supporting the fight against racism, xenophobia, discrimination and promoting equality at all levels of society.

Organisation’s core areas of expertise - Peace-building and conflict management
- Youth participation and volunteering
- Educational programmes and non-formal education
Activities main focus - Educational long and short term programmes (youth clubs, training courses, youth encounters)
- Development aid for IDPs
- Lobbying youth participation on local, regional and national levels in Georgia
- Providing information for youth about mobility and educational programmes
International Activities 2010-2011 Training Courses Together for Peace – Training course on conflict management in international youth work, June 2010
Cooperation with Quality – Project Management Training for Cooperation with Neighbouring Partner Countries, September 2010
Youth Exchanges A Place to Live, September 2010
Creativity in Conflicts – The Power of Youth in Conflict Resolution, September 2010
See the Culture with your Eyes, June 2010
Regional Activities for 2010-2011 APD in cooperation with British Council is running Active Citizens programme, where young people with fewer opportunities are involved in organising social action projects in their respective
communities. 

APD in cooperation with the Municipality of Tbilisi is running the Youth Information Centre of Georgia. The Centre features a web-site, consultants, representatives of the regions and different promotional activities.

APD in cooperation with Slovak-Georgian Society have established youth clubs in Tbilisi and Tserovani for 150 young IDPs from conflict zones of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In youth clubs, young people got trainings on conflict resolution and leadership as well as classes in English language, IT skills and silk paintings.

Local Activities for 2010-2011 APD currently hosts eight European volunteers in the frames of the European Voluntary Service (EVS) of the Youth in Action programme of European Commission. EVS volunteers are involved in social projects organised by APD. 

APD is running volunteers’ youth club, where young people organise different voluntary activities.

APD in cooperation with SALTO Eastern Europe and Caucasus recourse centre is organising EVS training cycle for EVS volunteers hosted in Georgia.

Upcoming events APD has planned to host several international youth exchanges, seminars and training courses in Georgia in partnership with different European partners. 

APD is in partnership for several international youth events which are taking place in different European countries. Most of these projects are made in the frames of the Youth in Action programme of the European Commission.

Publications Volunteering
in Georgia – A Handbook:
http://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-1671/Volunteering%20in%20Georgia_A%20Handbook_SmallSize.pdf
Partnership-building activity manual:
http://www.salto-youth.net/downloads/4-17-1806/PBA%20Manual_05%2004%202009.pdf