“Visegrad Lessons” Project Successfully Completed: What Can the South Caucasus Learn from Central Europe?

13.05.2026 (Caucasian Journal). After several months of discussions and expert exchanges, the project Visegrad Lessons has been successfully completed.
The initiative brought together nearly 40 experts from Central Europe and the South Caucasus — including diplomats, researchers, civil society leaders, journalists, and policy specialists — to examine an increasingly important question: Can countries continue practical cooperation even when politics become deeply polarized?
The answer from many participants was clear: Yes, if cooperation is built around practical interests rather than political unanimity.
The project explored how the experience of the Visegrad countries — the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary — may offer useful lessons for Georgia and the wider South Caucasus. We are thankful to the International Visegrad Fund, Arnika, EUROPEUM, Visegrad Insight, and the Central European Forum for support. Over the course of the project, four international webinars focused on issues ranging from:

• political and regional cooperation
• academic and scientific exchange
• civil society resilience
• environmental challenges
• business and economic ties
• media and public discourse

The project involved representatives from a highly diverse range of institutional backgrounds.  The webinars featured participants from approximately 30 different organizations and institutions, including universities and academic institutions, think tanks and policy institutes, NGOs and civil society organizations, media organizations, international professional networks, business and economic organizations. These included, among others: Jagiellonian University, Metropolitan University Prague, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, Association for International Affairs (AMO), Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM), Central European University (CEU), Comenius University, Slovak Academy of Sciences.  The proceedings of all our Webinars  have been published in English and Georgian at:Webinar 1; Webinar 2;  Webinar 3; Webinar 4. One of the key themes running through the discussions was the distinction between so-called “high politics” and “low politics.” While governments may clash politically, experts noted that cooperation often continues in less politicized areas such as trade, education, research, environmental policy, professional and civic networking. In other words, even when political dialogue becomes difficult, practical cooperation does not necessarily collapse.
Several speakers warned that political fragmentation can gradually affect not only government relations, but also academia, media, civil society, and international partnerships. Others stressed that maintaining international engagement becomes especially important during periods of tension.
Participants also highlighted the important role of civil society and academic cooperation in keeping communication channels open when formal political dialogue weakens.
As part of the project, the organizers published:

• multilingual webinar proceedings and summaries
• expert materials and analyses
• a Final Written Summary Report with Recommendations

All project materials, including webinar recordings and publications, are available on the project website. 
The initiative has also helped spark broader conversations about whether certain elements of Central European cooperation could eventually be adapted to the South Caucasus — not as a copy of the Visegrad model, but as a source of practical experience. 
The project’s overall conclusion may be simple, but significant: Even in politically divided environments, cooperation can survive — if societies continue investing in practical connections, professional networks, and shared interests.
We would like to thank all experts, partners, and participants who contributed to the project and helped make this international dialogue possible.  Follow the Caucasian Journal: