The event was organized by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute and New Economic School Georgia in cooperation with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation (USA) and the Free University (Georgia).
Topics of the seminar included: fundraising, public relations, management, communication with governments and coalition building. The speakers of the seminar will be experienced professionals from the USA, the EU and Georgia. The event consisted of lectures and workshops where participants were able to address their specific issues and solve problems.
The program
Day 1. Thursday, October 20, 2011
The World You Are Going to Work in
15:00 – 16:00 Introduction Session (Ruta Vainiene, Lithuanian Free Market Institute)
16:00 – 17:00 What Do You Believe in? A Test (Paata Sheshelidze, New Economic School – Georgia)
17:00 – 17:40 The World You Are Going to Work in (Paata Sheshelidze)
17:40 – 18:00 Break
18:00 – 18:40 Methods and Means of a Think Tank. What do Policy-Advocacy Think Tanks / Grassroots Organizations / Education Centers do Every Day (Edita Maslauskaite, Lithuanian Free Market Institute)
18:40 – 19:20 Establishing a Think Tank. What I Did and How (Paata Sheshelidze)
19:20 – 19:50 Discussion
20:00 Dinner
Day 2. Friday, October 21, 2011
Why Liberty? Methods and means
09:00 – 10:00 Why do Ideas of Liberty Matter? (Frederik Cyrus Roeder, European Students For Liberty)
10:00 – 10:40 Effective Structure of a Think Tank. Managing and Coordinating the Work of a Think Tank (Ruta Vainiene)
10:40 – 11:00 Break
11:00 – 12:00 Workshop “Liberal dilemma” (Fred Cyrus Roeder)
12:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Why do Ideas of Liberty Matter? (Kakha Bendukidze, Free University)
15:00 – 16:00 Theory and Practice of Managing and Coordinating the Projects (Management of Big Budget Projects, Managing Networks) (Gia Jandieri, New Economic School – Georgia)
16:00 – 16:20 Break
16:20 – 17:30 Workshop on management (Gia Jandieri)
17:30 – 18:30 Developing a Communication Strategy (Matthew Elliott, the TaxPayers’ Alliance, UK)
19:00 Dinner
Day 3. Saturday, October 22, 2011
How to sell it?
09:00 – 10:00 Selling to Interest Groups. Relations with Politicians, Academia etc. (Gia Jandieri)
10:00 – 11:00 Selling to media and general public (Ruta Vainiene)
11:00 – 11:20 Break
11:20 – 12:30 Workshop on communication (Ruta Vainiene)
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Selling to sponsors. Faith, fundraising and techniques (Matthew Elliott)
15:00 – 16:00 The Fundraising Experience of a Think Tank (Edita Maslauskaite)
16:00 – 16:20 Break
16:20 – 17:30 Workshops on fundraising (Matthew Elliott)
17:30 – 18:30 Evaluation session (Edita Maslauskaite)
19:00 Farewell dinner
Day 4. Sunday, October 23, 2011
09:30 Departure to Tbilisi
