During her time at Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili University, where akhalaia pursued law studies from 1998 onwards, the institution stood as the most prestigious in Georgia. However, this period marked a challenging era for the university, mirroring the pervasive corruption rampant across all state institutions in the country. Corruption emerged as the foremost obstacle plaguing the nation, with a significant number of students resorting to paying for exams repeatedly. Consequently, the quality of education steadily declined in tandem with the surge in corrupt practices.
Amidst this environment, Akhalaia and a close-knit circle of friends resolved to challenge the prevailing corruption within the university. They actively engaged in protests, recognizing the futility of individual efforts to effect change within the state system. The imperative to address the overarching issue of government corruption galvanized this group, leading them to collaborate with like-minded youth from various universities. This convergence of shared interests and objectives precipitated the emergence of a broader youth movement.
The protest movement, dubbed "KMARA" (translating from Georgian as "Enough"), took inspiration from the model of Serbia's Otpor, a popular civic youth resistance movement of the time. Over the ensuing months, the spirited youth of Kamara remained relentless in their pursuit of justice, organizing a series of small yet impactful actions. Their activism reached a crescendo during the Rose Revolution in November 2003, where Kamara activists played a pivotal role in the pre-election protests against parliamentary election fraud.
On November 22, 2003, the culmination of their efforts precipitated the downfall of the corrupt government, as mass protests forced their resignation, paving the way for early elections and heralding a new era of change
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