On October 21, 2020, IDFI conducted an online training on open data management and publication issues for the staff of Gori, Lagodekhi, Senaki, Telavi and Zugdidi City Halls and Municipal Councils. The aim of the training was to raise awareness about data collection, processing and publication, which will help the municipal bodies to improve open data practices.

The training participants received theoretical and practical information about the topics, such as:

- The definition, importance and principles of open data;

- Open data management standards and procedures;

- Open data processing / publication;

- Open data formats and metadata;

- Legal framework for access to open data and Unified State Registry of Information;

- Access to municipal datasets.

The discussion took place around the forthcoming measures to be taken to strengthen data management practices by municipalities and to ensure access to more municipal data.

The training sessions were carried out based on the Open Data Guidebook, specially created for civil servants. In addition, the training was preceded by the preparation of comprehensive situation analyses regarding the practice and legal framework of access to open data in the City Halls of Gori, Lagodekhi, Senaki, Telavi and Zugdidi City Halls, based on which special needs of the municipalitიეს were identified and practical recommendations were elaborated.

The training was held with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) “Good Governance Initiative in Georgia” (USAID GGI).

The online training was led by Teona Turashvili, Head of Media, Internet and Innovations Direction and Gvantsa Nikuradze, project assistant at IDFI.