University of the Underground

Ana Subeliani is a queer activist, human rights defender and a Journalist from Georgia. She has been actively involved in various movements in Georgia fighting for equality, women’s rights, liberalization of inhuman drug policy and anti-occupational movements. She also used to be a public servant and leading restorative justice and crime prevention reforms in Georgia. Ana is a founder of the Institute of Nonviolent Communications. She is one of the leaders of Tbilisi Pride advocating and fighting for LGBT rights and she is also a host of a TV program “Call Ana” which is focused on human rights and social issues on one of the most popular TV channels “Mtavari Arkhi”.

Together with being an active citizen and fighting for human rights, Ana Subeliani is a performer as well. She sings Georgian traditional songs and also, collaborates with modern alternative musicians. She uses dance as a tool of political resistance. She was one of the organizers and leaders of “Rave Revollution” in Tbilisi, in May 2018, after the raid of nightclub Bassiani. She danced on the Memorial to the victims of the 9 April tragedy as a symbol of fighting for freedom, after which she received death threats and became a victim of physical attacks twice. Her dance opened a wide discussion about women’s rights, the right of expression and dance as tool of protest.