Getting Involved is a regional cooperation program implemented jointly by the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the MitOst Association and Eurasia Partnership Foundation.

In order to promote better understanding among people in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the project “Did you know that…?” aims to break stereotypes and establish more amicable relations by illustrating the numerous similarities and common interests of ordinary people in the three neighboring nations of South Caucasus region.

Georgians, Armenians and Azeris unanimously answered:

Love and respect Parents Children (the number varied from 2-4) Sometimes grandparents

The answer in about 90% or replies was…

- Yes, of course!

The majority of Azeris, Georgians and Armenians answered that, fortunately, they do not face it very often but still they are having such problems in their families from time to time. The main reason, as many of them mentioned, is the Soviet influence on their parents’ views.

The answer was amazingly similar! The Georgian answered: - They may not. I decided my profession. The Azeri answered: - No. The Armenian answered: - No, I took my preferences in to

consideration first.

The survey showed that For Georgians there can be corruption for getting

a higher position at his office. For Armenians there can be corruption at passing

an exam, advancing in a queue and getting a promotion at workplace.

For Azeris there can be corruption at getting a new job and a higher position.

So the phenomenon of corruption surely exists in all three countries, although maybe on a different scale.

From the suggested

options, the survey participants amazingly chose the same ones!

Female – 21 – 24 Male – 24 – 28

Many Georgians, Armenians and Azeris described it as a long, crowded and noisy party, usually accompanied by numerous toasts by a Tamada (the same for all three nations!), national music, dishes and dances.

One thing the end of Caucasian Wedding parties seem to have in common is that, there may be a quarrel between drunk and hot-headed party guests!

From the answers of the survey we can draw out the fact that recently in the South Caucasus region the tendency to live apart from the couple’s parents is growing, but they also painstakingly mentioned that, in spite of this, poor financial conditions force many young couples to live with the family of their parents.

• Ellen• Alex• Marie• David• Sofia• Liza

It appeared that in Tbilisi and Baku the

differentiation may be not so notable as compared with Yerevan, where there are both poor and rich neighborhoods in the center. But the fact is, maybe, to a greater or smaller degree, there are rich and poor neighborhoods in all three capitals.

We could draw the following general picture:

Father owns small business or works in an office.

Mother is teacher, doctor or housewife. The children generally get Bachelor’s

Degree, rarely Master’s Degree.

Unemployment Food Falling far from the civilized center Lack of recourse for development Water and gas supply Other social-economic problems.

The youth are occupied with: Science - 32 % Art - 15% Politics - 13% Business - 8% Crafts - 14 % Street life - 8 % Doing nothing - 6% Other interests - 4%

It appeared that Georgian , Armenian and Azeri youth face the same problem in night clubs: they are sometimes too expensive.

There was drawn out

the following similar answer:

“Well… maybe Disney Land”.

“I’d like to see Disney Land in Tbilisi .”

“We don’t have Disney Land. I would enjoy seeing one in Yerevan.”

Most of the survey participants answered positively, but there is one common problem in medical services in all three countries: every second survey participant said that medical services are too expensive in his/her country.

The answer in all three cases was surprisingly the same:

- Yes, sure! Survey participants did not only give positive

answer, but some of them even mentioned a number of local TV/radio channels, newspapers working for the benefit of a certain political or business figure.

The survey showed that although in capitals Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan they have the opportunity for fast and high quality internet connection it is not available to everyone yet because of high prices, leaving aside the rural population.

There have been counted:

17 No-s 6 Not really-s 4 Not fully-s 13 other negative

answers!

New Year Independence Day Other holidays of

religious origin: like Easter in Armenia and Georgia and Novruz in Azerbaijan.