The Impact of the Year is European Students For Liberty’s only peer nominated award, for which our students nominate other volunteers, whose work in their opinion made the greatest impact toward a freer future.
In 2025, Georgian Students for Liberty received the Impact of the Year Award for their efforts to defend democracy and support victims of repression following Georgia’s disputed 2024 parliamentary elections.
The elections, widely criticized for fraud and intimidation, left the country in a constitutional crisis. While many citizens felt powerless, the Georgian team documented irregularities, organized demonstrations, and kept the issue in the public eye. When the government began targeting activists with arrests, Georgian Students For Liberty launched the “Save Georgia’s Liberal Future” fundraiser. The campaign raised more than $5,000, which was used to cover legal fees, fines, medical expenses, and basic needs for detainees and their families.
Behind the fundraiser are real people whose lives were directly affected. Giorgi Terishvili refused to confess to charges he said were false, and our team in Georgia stepped in to ensure he had legal representation. Irakli Miminoshvili’s mother publicly called for her son’s release, while our volunteers provided material support to his family. Vepkhia Kasradze, a father of five undergoing cancer treatment, was detained and later put in solitary confinement during a hunger strike; Georgian Students For Liberty’s support helped his children cope during his absence. And Aleksandre Tirkia, seriously injured during protests, has relied on GSFL’s assistance while he continues a long recovery.
In addition to direct aid, GSFL has mobilized young activists across the country, organized protests, and run information campaigns to expose election irregularities and police violence. Their mix of grassroots action and practical support has made them one of the most visible and effective civil society groups in Georgia.
By awarding our team in Georgia the Impact of the Year Award, European Students for Liberty recognized not only their immediate response to the crisis, but also their ability to turn student activism into a force for meaningful change.
