On May 20, 2024, the joint online event of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and Northwestern University "Large-scale actions in Armenia and Georgia: what is happening?" was held.

The main topic of the event was the ongoing geopolitical changes in the South Caucasus - the change of the pro-Western course of the Georgian government, at the same time, the Armenian government's attempt to free itself from Russian influence, and the subsequent large-scale demonstrations in Tbilisi and Yerevan.

Among the speakers of the event were Professor Ronald Suny of the University of Michigan; Giorgi Kldiashvili, the executive director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) and Anton Vatcharadze, the head of IDFI's memory and disinformation studies direction. The former US ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly, moderated the meeting.

Ronald Grigor Suny talked about the current events in Armenia, connected these events with the defeat in the war with Azerbaijan, and discussed the reality that Nikol Pashinyan's government has to face. He also spoke about changing Armenia's pro-Russian course to a pro-Western one, citing the fact that its traditional ally left the country alone against Azerbaijan. Suny also spoke about the current situation in Georgia and mentioned that the civil society in Georgia is traditionally very strong.

Giorgi Kldiashvili spoke about the "Russian law", the civil protest that arose around it in Georgia, and the problems that this government initiative will create for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations. He also discussed the developments after the adoption of a similar law in Russia in 2012, which destroyed civil society there. Giorgi Kldiashvili spoke about organized violence against non-governmental organizations and people involved in protests, of which he became one of the targets.

Anton Vatcharadze drew attention to similar cases from the recent history of Georgia. He spoke about what distinguishes the current demonstrations from all cases of the past 30 years.

At the end of the meeting, Ian Kelly noted that in such a tense political situation, increasing the involvement of the West in the region is very important.