Elene Ebanoidze
| Elene, currently enrolled in GIPA’s Bachelor’s program in International Relations, is interested in the impact of propaganda on international politics. This fascination led her to participate in the Jan Karski Program for Young Georgian Leaders 2023. Concerned about the lack of intra-party democracy in Georgia, Elene finds out its detrimental effects on the voters’ perception of electoral processes. She values debates and discussions and was actively engaged at the Franklin Club.
Contest Material: In 2023, the Advertising Income of Broadcasters Increased PUBLISHED MATERIAL: Is the so-called “Death Capsule” used for euthanasia in Switzerland? |
Ketevan Gelashvili
| Ketevan is currently employed at the non-governmental organization Civic Idea as a lawyer. She successfully completed her undergraduate law studies at Tbilisi Free University. During her time at the university, Ketevan pursued an additional specialization in international relations.She began her career as an intern, before moving on to become a junior lawyer at the microfinance organization “Eurocredit”. She has experience in representing civil and administrative cases and has prepared numerous lawsuits, international contracts, amicus briefs, and analytical papers based on US legal practices.
Contest Material: Disinformation Narratives about NATO and Georgia’s NATO Accession |
Giorgi Kharebava
| Giorgi is a graduate of the Global Security Program at the University of Georgia. Since 2019, he has been actively involved in research activities, focusing on international relations, countering disinformation, and party politics. Giorgi worked as a researcher at the University of Georgia from 2019 to 2020, and since 2020, he has held a similar position at the Ilia Chavchavadze Center for European Studies and Civic Education. He is a co-author of several research papers and has published analytical articles in various publications.
Contest Material: Russian Lies Against Georgia: A Century of Deception PUBLISHED MATERIAL: SYMBOLIC GESTURES BY FOOTBALLERS – CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND REAL MEANINGS |
Liza Kakhaberidze
| Liza is currently a student at Tbilisi State University. Alongside her studies in cultural studies, she works as a journalist in the commercial department of online publication On.ge. Liza actively and successfully participates in projects organized by various non-governmental organizations.
Contest Material: Global War Party’: Why Is the Government Resorting to Conspiracy Theories? |
Rati Tkemaladze
| Rati is a student at the Faculty of Philosophy at Ilia State University. He is particularly interested in political theology and metaphysics. Currently, Rati is conducting research on the First Republic of Georgia.
Contest Material: Anti-Gender Politics as a Tool of Political Manipulatio PUBLISHED MATERIAL: SYMBOLIC GESTURES BY FOOTBALLERS – CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND REAL MEANINGS |
Tornike Elashvili
| Tornike is a student in the political science and journalism undergraduate program at TSU. He is a member of the non-governmental organization “Georgian Equality Association”. Additionally, Tornike enjoys studying, producing research papers, and participating in academic conferences. His areas of interest include the European Union and political philosophy. Tornike is also interested in creating multimedia production, social media, and digital marketing.
Contest Material: |
Ia Iadze
| Ia, a Faculty of Law graduate, is studying philosophy at Tbilisi State University. She has diverse interests across different fields but is particularly interested in environmental rights and feminism. Ia volunteers in several organizations and try to create a better environment for people. Her hobbies include academic debates, sharing different experiences, listening to people and storytelling.
Contest Material: Sexist Hate Speech as a Political Weapon Against Female Opponents |
Rusudan Giorgadze
| Rusudan is an intern at the US Embassy in Tbilisi while studying at the Faculty of International Relations at Ilia State University. During the fall semester of 2023-2024, she also gained academic experience at Uppsala University in Sweden as part of the Erasmus+ exchange program.
Contest Material: Russian Disinformation about Ukrainian Refugees: What is Europe’s Attitude Towards Them? |
Mariam Adzishvili
| Mariam devotes most of her time to pursuing her education. She studies at the Faculty of International Relations of the Free University. Mariam’s participation in numerous Erasmus+ exchange programs has provided her with a wealth of experience, which has motivated her to start an organization and share her knowledge with young people. In addition, Mariam is interested in defense and security issues and the fight against disinformation. She recently finished an internship at the Regional Security Department of the US Embassy and subsequently resolved to expand her knowledge by participating in MythLab. |
Salome Dodashvili
| Salome is a student at Ilia State University’s Faculty of Science and Arts. Her main interest is in international relations. Salome spent last semester studying in Budapest as a part of an exchange program, which provided her with valuable experience. She also participates in the Konrad Adenauer Academy of Political Education. Along with her education, she volunteers at the Georgian Red Cross Society. Additionally, Salome co-founded the “Tergi” platform, which brings together young people, non-governmental organizations, and initiative groups.
Contest Material: |
Tamar Khutsishvili
| Tamar teaches Georgian language and literature at a public school in Tbilisi. She enjoys both sharing and gaining knowledge. After earning a master’s degree in philology from Ilia State University, she completed a teacher training program and is currently pursuing a school counselor certification course at CTC. Tamar is a member of the general education reform team and a general education quality assurance specialist. She is always keen to improve her skills and has successfully participated in various projects and events. Prior to joining MythLab, she was involved in the MDF project “Let’s talk about democracy” and participated in the “Women’s Empowerment Program” organized by the American Corner. Tamar has been a football fan since childhood, and her dream is to attend El Clasico (Barcelona vs Real Madrid) at Camp Nou.
PUBLISHED MATERIAL: |
Irina Samakashvili
| Irina is a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences of Tbilisi Free University. She’s been interested in media and media literacy for a long time. She is particularly interested in researching gender misinformation and sexist language. Irina is also interested in art and culture, and she intends to further her knowledge in these areas.
Contest Material: Coverage of Women’s Health Issues in the Media and on Social Networks PUBLISHED MATERIAL: AN AI-GENERATED PHOTO OF THE NEW BRITISH PRIME MINISTER CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA PARIS OR MOSCOW – WHERE WAS THE FOOTAGE OF MUSLIMS PRAYING RECORDED? |
Mariam Jachvadze
| Mariam is a strategic communications specialist at the University of Georgia. She is currently involved in various local and international projects. With extensive experience working in various companies in the fields of PR and social media management, Mariam brings a wealth of expertise to her role. She is a civil activist with a keen interest in fact-checking and verification, mobile journalism, and enjoys working with the camera. Mariam also competed in the television show “Mission,” where she advanced to the semi-final. |
Nana Katsia
| Nana is a graduate student of Management and Public Sciences at Tbilisi Free University. Her secondary major is International Relations. Moreover, she serves as an assistant and tutor for one of the subjects. Nana also serves as the local coordinator for the global pro-liberty organization “Students for Liberty”. She recently started an internship at “Tabula”. Her interests include philosophy, political science, conflict studies, and social anthropology. |
Elene Dzamashvili
| Elene is a student at the Faculty of Sociology of Ilia State University. She has been actively cooperating with various organizations for years, writing projects, arranging youth camps, and educational, Intellectual, and sports events. In 2023, she became a distinguished delegate of the “State Management and Policy Summit” of the Institute of Non-Formal Education of Georgia. Currently, Elene is completing an internship at the Higher Research Center of Ilia State University and is actively involved in the preparation of numerous social studies and publications for professional growth. |
Kristine Kukchishvili
| 21-year-old Kristine is a student at the Faculty of Journalism. Alongside her studies, she works as a journalist for the women’s radio station WW and has a keen interest in the art of debate. Kristine is actively engaged in multiple initiatives and activities.
PUBLISHED MATERIAL: “Artificial Womb” – Is the invention shown in the video real? |
Grisha Mkrtichyan
| Grisha Mkrtchian is studying political science at Ilia State University and is currently undertaking an internship at the US Embassy in Georgia. Furthermore, he is an independent journalist who works with Armenian-language newspapers. He aspires to apply his expertise and knowledge to contribute to the advancement of the Armenian community and explore possibilities for addressing existing issues.
Contest Material: Artificial Intelligence in Journalism: Threat or Opportunity? PUBLISHED MATERIAL: Disinformation that Jonathan Van Ness has been appointed White House Press Secretary |
Barbare Giorgadze
| 18-year-old Barbare is studying psychology at Ilia State University and has recently become a faculty ambassador at the university. Meanwhile, she is working on various interesting projects. In 2021, she co-founded the civic education club “Lorax”, through which she arranges discussions with schoolchildren on various issues. Barbare is continuously on the lookout for new experiences and knowledge, and he attempts to put them to good use. Her interests range from philosophy to theology, music and travel.
Contest Material: |
Salome Khurtsilava
| Salome Khurtsilava is employed in the business sector, specializing in human capital management, and also teaches history and civic education. After graduating from the Faculty of Political Sciences at the University of Georgia, Salome continued her studies in the International Relations Master’s Program at Ilia State University, where she examined the existing forms of party identity and competition in transitional political regimes. She also graduated from the same university’s 60-credit history teacher preparation program.
Contest Material: The Homophobic Law: The Media Facing the Threat of Censorship PUBLISHED MATERIAL: AN ALTERED PHOTO OF SALOME ZOURABICHVILI AND IRMA INASHVILI DISSEMINATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA |
Dachi Khonelidze
| Dachi Khonelidze is a student in the philosophy program at Ilia State University. He is interested in the philosophy of politics, technologies of public discourse production, and methods of spreading false narratives. Currently Dachi is mainly engaged in research, and his research interests include the evolution of power structures, the history of Georgian leftism, and the first republic. |
Konstantine Koberidze
| Konstantine Koberidze is a graduate student at the School of International Relations of the Free University and will be studying the Japanese language. Before that, he studied programming and computer science for years. His interests lie in international politics and social media. As a researcher and individual, he holds the belief that these two sectors are already tightly interconnected. Therefore, he strives to contribute to the fight against online misinformation. |
Alex Mghebrishvili
| Alex Mghebrishvili is a second-year student at the Faculty of Law of the Free University. He has been actively involved in activist activities and the process of receiving non-formal education for years. Alex’s dedication to writing is demonstrated through his professional life as a journalist and copywriter. Alex’s primary area of focus is politics, with the intention of pursuing a professional study of the subject.
Contest Material: |
Emilia Mikailova
| Emilia Mikailova, a 21-year-old student of the Faculty of Sciences and Arts at Ilia State University, is studying international relations and English. Emilia is interested in history and learning foreign languages. She is fluent in Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish. Currently she is studying German and English. Emilia enjoys reading and watching old movies. |
Dachi Tsulaia
| Dachi Tsulaia is a second-year student in the Political Science Department of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Tbilisi State University. He actively and successfully participates in the projects and collaborates with organizations that work in the field of non formal education. |
Mariam Kakhadze
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