Did you know that…?

1. Did you know that…?

2. Getting Involved is a regional cooperation program implemented jointly by the Theodor-Heuss-Kolleg, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the MitOst Association and Eurasia Partnership Foundation.

3. In order to promote better understanding among people in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the project“Did you know that…?” aims to break stereotypes and establish more amicable relations by illustrating the numerous similarities and common interests of ordinary people in the three neighboring nations of South Caucasus region.

4. To the question What is the image of a "perfect family" to you? Georgians, Armenians and Azeris unanimously answered: • Love and respect • Parents • Children (the number varied from 2-4) • Sometimes grandparents

6. Do you feel responsible for taking care of elderly members of your family? The answer in about 90% or replies was… - Yes, of course!

7. Do you often face a generation gap in your family? The majority of Azeris, Georgians and Armenians answered that, fortunately, they do not face it very often but still they are having such problems in their families from time to time. The main reason, as many of them mentioned, is the Soviet influence on their parents’ views.

8. To the question “Should your parents have influence on the choice of your profession and University?" The answer was amazingly similar! • The Georgian answered: - They may not. I decided my profession. • The Azeri answered: - No. • The Armenian answered: - No, I took my preferences in to consideration first.

9. “Is there corruption at your universities, offices and other social institutions?” The survey showed that • For Georgians there can be corruption for getting a higher position at his office. • For Armenians there can be corruption at passing an exam, advancing in a queue and getting a promotion at workplace. • For Azeris there can be corruption at getting a new job and a higher position. So the phenomenon of corruption surely exists in all three countries, although maybe on a different scale.

10. “What’s the average age of marriage in your country?” From the suggested options, the survey participants amazingly chose the same ones! • Female – 21 – 24 • Male – 24 – 28

11. Traditional Caucasian Wedding Many Georgians, Armenians and Azeris described it as a long, crowded and noisy party, usually accompanied by numerous toasts by a Tamada (the same for all three nations!), national music, dishes and dances. One thing the end of Caucasian Wedding parties seem to have in common is that, there may be a quarrel between drunk and hot-headed party guests!

13. The newly-married couple prefers to live with his parents or separate? From the answers of the survey we can draw out the fact that recently in the South Caucasus region the tendency to live apart from the couple’s parents is growing, but they also painstakingly mentioned that, in spite of this, poor financial conditions force many young couples to live with the family of their parents.

14. There is a tendency to give modern, international names to babies nowadays. In Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan the following names are common: Ellen Alex Marie David Sofia Liza

15. Can you differentiate between rich and poor neighborhoods in your capital? It appeared that in Tbilisi and Baku the differentiation may be not so notable as compared with Yerevan, where there are both poor and rich neighborhoods in the center. But the fact is, maybe, to a greater or smaller degree, there are rich and poor neighborhoods in all three capitals.

17. It turned out that not only Armenians but Georgians and Azeris, as well, have the tendency to show off with luxurious cars and mobiles. So, the most popular car and cell phone in all three countries was …

18. From the answers to question“How does a middle-income family live in your country?” We could draw the following general picture: • Father owns small business or works in an office. • Mother is teacher, doctor or housewife. • The children generally get Bachelor’s Degree, rarely Master’s Degree.

19. The main problems that the rural population faces today in the villages of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are the problems of… • Unemployment • Food • Falling far from the civilized center • Lack of recourse for development • Water and gas supply • Other social-economic problems.

20. Youth The youth are occupied with: • Science - 32 % • Art - 15% • Politics - 13% • Business - 8% • Crafts - 14 % • Street life - 8 % • Doing nothing - 6% • Other interests - 4%

21. It appeared that Georgian , Armenian and Azeri youth face the same problem in night clubs: they are sometimes too expensive.

22. From the replies to the question “What entertainment center does your capital lack?” There was drawn out the following similar answer: • “Well… maybe Disney Land”. • “I’d like to see Disney Land in Tbilisi .” • “We don’t have Disney Land. I would enjoy seeing one in Yerevan.”

23. People in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan haven’t given up the tendency of buying things from the market instead of newly-opened, luxurious supermarkets. Many of the survey participants answered that most families can’t yet afford to buy things from a supermarket.

24. To the question “Are you satisfied with the medical services in your country?” Most of the survey participants answered positively, but there is one common problem in medical services in all three countries: every second survey participant said that medical services are too expensive in his/her country.

25. Can you think of some TV/radio channel, newspaper, Internet site that works for a certain political or business figure? (You can simply answer yes or no.) The answer in all three cases was surprisingly the same: - Yes, sure! Survey participants did not only give positive answer, but some of them even mentioned a number of local TV/radio channels, newspapers working for the benefit of a certain political or business figure.

26. Do you think you have fast-high quality Internet connection available for most internet users in your country? The survey showed that although in capitals Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan they have the opportunity for fast and high quality internet connection it is not available to everyone yet because of high prices, leaving aside the rural population.

27. In answer to the question“Do you feel like you are living in afree-independent-democratic country?” There have been counted: • 17 No-s • 6 Not really-s • 4 Not fully-s • 13 other negative answers!

28. The survey showed that youth in the three countries do not underestimate the reform of Bologna system taking place nowadays in the education systems of their countries, but they also think that “current education system falls far from the European education system and universities”. It could be concluded that they are annoyed with the fact that they have a long time to wait until it is perfected.

29. The survey showed that the most popular and favorite holidays of Georgians, Armenians and Azeris were … • New Year • Independence Day • Other holidays of religious origin: like Easter in Armenia and Georgia and Novruz in Azerbaijan.

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