The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI), founded in 1996 in Germany, is an international organization working in the field of minority governance and conflict resolution. Through action-oriented projects, practice and policy-oriented research, information gathering and documentation, and advisory services, ECMI advances majority-minority relations throughout Europe and its neighbourhood. With its headquarters in Flensburg, Germany – together with its currently two regional offices based in Tbilisi, Georgia and Priština, Kosovo – ECMI contributes to the strengthening of legislation and best practices in minority governance. Correspondingly, ECMI enhances the capacity of civil society and governments to encourage constructive relations between minorities and states.

ECMI has been operating a Caucasus office based in Tbilisi since 2003 where it works towards building stable and inclusive democracies throughout the region, particularly in Georgia. ECMI Caucasus works to improve the competencies of minority organizations and assists governments in building institutional capacities to develop and implement policies on national minority issues. In particular, ECMI Caucasus works closely with Georgian state agencies – such as the Public Defender, the State Minister for Reintegration, and the Administration of the President – as well as with international organizations and national NGOs to ensure the involvement of national minorities in consultations on state policies affecting minority communities. More »