Who We Are
Tbilisi Shelter City is a program created by the Center for Participation and Development in collaboration with Truth Hounds to assist human rights defenders in need of temporary respite or emergency support. We are proud to support human rights defenders, civil activists, lawyers, cultural figures, and journalists from Central Asia, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and the Caucasus.
In 2021, our program expanded to include countries in the Mediterranean, Central and Eastern Europe, and the Balkans. Since 2016, we have supported over 400 human rights defenders and their families, and it is an honor for us to stand by those who need our help.
Our Locations
Currently, Shelter City in Georgia hosts guests in three cities:
Tbilisi
Batumi
Telavi
Join Us!
Click the link to apply for the program Shelter Retreat
Шелтер Ретрит
Tbilisi Shelter City has created a safety retreat program for teams and networks. A safety retreat is a short event (3 to 10 days) during which human rights defenders can work with safety instructors, art therapists, psychologists, and other specialists to improve their personal security. The retreat also includes time for rest and relaxation.
If your organization would like to organize a safety retreat, please contact us at tbs.shelter@gmail.com for more information.
Management Board
Sasha Delemenchuk
Center for Participation and Development
Svitlana Valko
Truth Hounds
Simon Papuashvili
IPHR
Команда
Lasha Dzigrashvili
Executive Director
Anastasia Medko
Psychologist, Art Therapist
Alexandra Zurian
Retreat Program Coordinator
Keti Mgebrishvili
Psychologist
David Ghongadze
Case Manager, Cybersecurity Specialist
Salome Meznurishvili
Lawyer
Sopo Khutsishvili
Financial Manager
Maia Kapanadze
Housekeeper
Our Partners
Feedback
For safety reasons, we do not disclose the names of our beneficiaries.
"Thanks to the Shelter, its activities, the support from the team and specialists, and the thoughtful care I received, I was able to regain a sense of balance and well-being. I felt strong and empowered once again."
"My wife and I were able to access excellent medical care that we weren't able to find in our hometown."
"The fact that people from different parts of the world who share the same democratic beliefs are working together to achieve a common goal is inspiring. It makes me want to do everything I can to protect human rights and support independent journalism."
"I burst into tears as soon as I arrived in Tbilisi. I suddenly felt so much love that I couldn't express it any other way. I was so happy that I just cried and hugged everyone who greeted me with a smile."
"I remember the time when I arrived here. I just lived on autopilot because I was so emotionally burnt out. I felt nothing and had no energy or desires. A couple of months later, I thought, 'I can live like I used to—not on autopilot, not out of a sense of duty. I can simply go for a walk because I want to, not because I have to."