Zaza Bibilashvili

Zaza Bibilashvili is the founder of the Ilia Chavchavadze Center for European Studies and Civic Education (the Chavchavadze Center), Georgia’s first political foundation and the first non-EU member of ENoP. During 2016-2018, Zaza was a Deputy Head of UNM, Georgia’s largest opposition party, which he left to set up the Chavchavadze Center and work on youth engagement, countering disinformation and promoting intra-party democracy. Before joining UNM, Zaza founded and headed BGI, Georgia’s leading international law firm. A founding board member of the Georgian Bar Association, a co-founder of the Georgian Richard Wagner Society and a board member of ICC Georgia since 2009, Zaza has held leadership roles in various civic, legal and business organizations. His public service includes membership in the State Constitutional Commission and the introduction of Georgia’s first ever Pro Bono initiative. Zaza is the editor-in-chief of the quarterly “New Iveria” magazine. Under his leadership, the Chavchavadze Center has produced documentaries on Georgia’s post-Soviet history as well as on disinformation narratives linked to Soviet nostalgia. His flagship projects include Civic Memory, Project Common Sense, and Youth for Justice. He is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books and multiple publications. A frequent speaker at national and international fora, Zaza has lectured widely on memory & identity, contemporary history and political parties.