Youth-focused vaccination campaign We Need “You” Decide! launched

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on almost all countries across the world, including Georgia.

In an effort to achieve the breakthrough in vaccination process, on 1 November the Kant’s Academy and the United Nations in Georgia have kicked off the youth-focused vaccination campaign We Need “You” Decide! in Rustavi.

This two-month new campaign was developed with a specific focus on youth in the 18-29 demographic to increase vaccine uptake and acceptance.

 “COVID-19 has shown that if  individuals are acting in solidarity to ensure that their own actions do not jeopardize others we see most benefits for all. Looking ahead, this spirit needs to continue in Georgia, in the interest of building a healthy and resilient society after the crisis,” said Sabine Machl, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia. ”By taking on shared responsibility for fighting the pandemic, we can advance the Sustainable Development Goals and build a better future for all”.

The campaign aims at connecting youth with accurate information about COVID-19, and the available vaccines, invoking a sense of responsibility to get vaccinated and motivating them  to engage with older age groups where they live, work, and socialize for increasing vaccination rates.

“We, the founders of Kant’s Academy always believed in the power of young generation. More specifically, the role of youth in global challenges and substantial changes. And today, more than ever their role in post pandemic recovery is crucial,“ said Giorgi Taktakishvili, the founder of Kant’s Academy. ”We've had many examples of how the youth have made their voices be heard. In Georgia, fairly recently, on the 13th of June, we saw unified, powerful young generation acting for their peers and their country. This showed that action does matter, that putting in the effort can lead to change.”

“In order to live in a healthier environment, we must first acknowledge a  number of facts, then analyze the existing realities, challenges and opportunities and finally we need to act. Communicating the benefits of vaccination, helping others and raising their awareness, learning new skills and cognition, these are all actions to keep ourselves and others safe. Ask a lot of questions and I believe that each of us will inevitably come to the conclusion that my actions matter," said Nino Gogokhia, Georgia’s Youth Representative to the UN.

Throughout the campaign, whether it's the university, the social media or the  classroom, it is planned to reach young people in different parts of the country. The more people who get vaccinated and protect one another, the closer we will be to moving on from this pandemic and getting economies and livelihoods quickly back on their feet.