Georgia | Momavlis Taoba - Civic Education Program | 12 Oct 2016

On September 20, 2016 a museum of the victims of Soviet political repressions was opened in Kaspi Gymnasium.  The museum is located in the basement of the gymnasium, which used to be a former Militsiya (police) building during the Soviet Union, where the victims of political repressions were detained.

Opening of the museum was preceded a by mini-grant project from USAID’s “Momavlis Taoba” program. Civics students studied the history of the local “repressed” inhabitants from Kaspi district. They found out that during the Soviet regime 170 individuals from Kaspi became victims of political repressions. Students studied the cases of these individuals, met with their descendants, and collected their letters and photos. They also surveyed local communities, asking the local population what they know about “repressed” people of Kaspi. Students also visited Museum of Occupation and an archive in Tbilisi, organized a training at school for their peers on human rights issues, made a presentation of a thematic video and staged a performance. After all above activities, the students, with support of their civics teacher and other parties, set up the museum where all relevant materials are displayed. Project activities caused great interest among community members, governmental officials and the local government. The idea of the museum was supported by representatives of the presidential administration, the Presidential Reserve Fund, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and company HeidelbergCement.

The museum will be open for students and visitors from all regions of Georgia. Tours to this museum will be instrumental in history and civics classes and can be followed by discussions about the Soviet Regime and its consequences.