GRASS - Georgia's Reforms Associates

Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS) is a non-partisan, non-governmental policy watchdog and think tank, which conducts research and public policy analysis, and provides advice and project management in the fields of public policy and public administration reform. GRASS has identified Foreign Policy and Security, Occupied Regions and Engagement, National Minorities and Vulnerable Groups and Justice and Liberty as the areas in which it would like to focus its activities in 2013.

GRASS was established in October 2012 by a group of former senior civil servants from Georgian Ministries of Justice, Interior, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense, among other Government agencies and former international civil servants with worldwide experience. In many cases the founders were the leaders of some of Georgia’s most heralded and successful reform initiatives. Through GRASS, their rich first-hand expertise in designing, planning and implementing public policy and governance reforms in Georgia and other transition countries is now converted into transferrable models, methodologies and lessons learned.

GRASS has identified the areas in which it would like to focus its activities in 2013-2014, which
includes Foreign Policy and Security, Occupied Regions and Engagement, Education, Euro-Atlantic Integration, Vulnerable Groups (IDPs and National Minorities), Justice and Liberty.


GRASS intends to:
·    Foster Critical Policy Debates for the Policymakers and Public by organizing (a) open debates with the participation of the academia and the policy and law-makers and (b) Chatham House rules based closed debates between the representatives of the political parties.
·    Publish Policy Briefs on the important topics of public policy tracking the state of reforms and offering recommendations to the key policy stakeholders.
·    Continue advising the Government of Georgia on the areas, where GRASS has expertise and experience.
·    Conduct Capacity Building Activities for the Civil Society and Government. GRASS plans to develop a solid training and capacity-building curriculum for wide application.
·    Stay active in Media through TV appearances and Opinion Articles
·    Play active role in the various Civil Society forums, as well as the formats of cooperation with the Government of Georgia and the Parliament of Georgia
·    Implement projects aimed at advancing reforms and research in the fields of expertise

Contact:
GRASS - Georgia's Reforms Associates
Kostava Str. No. 75g, 3rd entrance, 5th floor, No. 40
Tbilisi 0171
Georgia
http://grass.org.ge/en/ 

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Mr Gaprindashvili holds the position of Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS)’s Director since August 2016. He received an MA in International Law from Tbilisi State University in 1994 with continued post-graduate level studies at the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies in Germany (2000) and the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK (2001). A career diplomat, Mr. Gaprindashvili holds the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. In 2009-2013, he was Georgia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Austria as well as the Permanent Representative of Georgia to the OSCE and other International Organisations in Vienna. Throughout his diplomatic career, he has participated in a large number of international negotiations.