Magnum Photos & TBC Bank Present

Issue no: 975 • AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue... FOCUS Tbilisi Denounces De Facto ON THE BORJOMI Abkhazian Delegation’s Visit BLAZE to Syria An overview from ﬁ rst spark NEWS PAGE 2 to dissipating smoke PAGE 9 Russia Closes Off Kerch Strait POLITICS PAGE 4 Akhalgori: Awaiting First Bell as the School Language is Switched POLITICS PAGE 5 Georgian Almond Growers Association Aims for Global Recognition of Georgia’s Potential BUSINESS PAGE 8 Heavy Rain, Wind Hits Ureki & Shekvetili Villages in Guria Magnum Photos & TBC Bank Present ‘In the Footsteps of Capa & Steinbeck’s Russian Journal’

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI SOCIETY PAGE 10 When Classic Meets Jazz, ack in 1947, acclaimed war photo- Georgian Trio at Konzerthaus graph Robert Capa, one of the founders Berlin of the Magnum CULTURE PAGE 13 PhotoB Agency, and John Stein- beck, famous American writer and Noble prize winner, trave- led to then-USSR to witness and record the lives of people living within the Soviet system. They visited Russia, Ukraine and Georgia, a journey ﬁ rst published in a series of articles in the New York Herald Tribune and Ladies Home Journal. These were later transformed into a book by Steinbeck: A Russian Journal, published in 1948. Continued on page 8 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Georgia to Host 4th Qvevri Wine International Symposium Tbilisi Denounces De Facto Abkhazian Delegation’s Visit to Syria

petition will be announced on Septem- BY THEA MORRISON ber 3 at the closing ceremony of the event. Scientists, wine experts, sommeliers n September 1-3, the fourth and journalists from various countries International Symposium are expected to attend. of Qvevri Wine will be “Participants will be able to share expe- held at the Ikalto Qvevri riences and views on tendencies and School-Academy, organ- challenges in the fi elds of wine and culi- izedO by the Georgian Wine Association. nary,” the NWA reports. The National Wine Agency (NWA) The Symposium was fi rst held in Geor- reports that the aim of the event is to gia in 2011. As a result of that fi rst sym- familiarize Georgian society and foreign posium, the United Nations Educational, specialists with the unique Qvevri win- Scientifi c and Cultural Organization emaking methodology, its history and (UNESCO) put the traditional Georgian culture, and also to provide guests with method of Qvevri winemaking on the information about Georgian wines, grape list of Intangible Cultural Heritage Mon- varieties and Georgian cuisine. uments. The fi rst international tournament of The Symposium organizers and sup- Qvevri wine will be held this year within porters are: the Ministry of Agriculture the framework of the Symposium with of Georgia, the National Wine Agency, both Georgian and foreign winemakers the Association of Georgian Wine, and participating. The winner of the com- Alaverdi Metropolitan David. Number of Hybrid &

Electric Cars Up in Georgia “Abkhazian delegation” at the meeting with Imad Khamis, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Syria. Source: De facto Abkhazian Foreign Ministry the territorial integrity of Georgia within “Guided by the directives of Syrian BY THEA MORRISON its internationally recognized borders President Bashar Assad, the Syrian has not been called into question. government intends to build full-scale “We call on all sovereign states to relations with Syria's strategic partners, eorgia’s Ministry of For- respect the territorial integrity of Geor- including the Republic of Abkhazia,” eign Affairs (MFA) has gia and its sovereign rights and to avoid the statement reads. released a statement any involvement in planned provoca- The de facto MFA added that by order regarding the recent visit tive activities,” the ministry stated. of the Chairman of the Council of Min- of an “Abkhazian delega- The de facto MFA of Abkhazia reported isters of Syria, a special government Gtion” to Syria, saying the visit repre- that the delegation of the “Republic of commission will be formed, which, sents a follow-up to Russia and its Abkhazia,” headed by the “Minister of together with Abkhazian colleagues, occupation regimes’ provocative policy Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abk- will create a concept aimed at devel- with respect to Georgia. hazia,” Daur Kove, held meetings in oping socio-economic and trade rela- while in 2015, ﬁ ve electric and 1,317 hybrid The so-called delegation from Geor- Syria on August 16-22. tions with the “Republic of Abkhazia”. BY THEA MORRISON cars in Georgia. gia’s breakaway Abkhazia concluded its The so-called Abkhazian Ministry The so-called ministry also said that In parallel with the increased number “ofﬁ cial visit” in Syria on Wednesday. stated that Syrian authorities expressed the “Abkhazian delegation” was hosted of hybrid and electric cars, Georgia’s “By resorting to such actions, Russia interest in developing trade and eco- by Najat Anzur, the President of the eorgia’s Ministry of Inter- capital of Tbilisi has been developing makes futile efforts to legitimize the nomic cooperation with the “Republic”. Syrian National Council, and by Moham- nal Affairs (MIA) reports infrastructure to encourage more people occupation regimes and the violent The Abkhazian side also reported med Samer Khalil, the Minister of that the number of hybrid to buy and use electric vehicles. redrawing of the borders of our sov- that their “delegation” met with Imad Economy and Foreign Trade of Syria. and electric cars has sig- Several charging points for electric ereign state,” the statement of the MFA Khamis, the Chairman of the Council Since the Russia-Georgia war in nificantly increased in cars have appeared in the capital, includ- reads. of Ministers of the Syrian Arab Repub- August 2008, Russia has recognized GGeorgia this year. ing in Vake district, on Nugzar Endeladze The MFA added that diplomatic rep- lic. the independence of Abkhazia and The MIA says that as of August 16, a Square, on Europe Square near Rike Park, resentatives of Syria, as well as inter- The so-called ministry said the Syr- another separatist region, South Osse- total of 328 electric cars and 9,870 hybrid outside Libre supermarket on the national partners, have been contacted ian leadership perceives the “Republic tia. In total, only four countries recog- cars had been imported to Georgia. Mtskheta highway and in the car park and duly informed about the matter. of Abkhazia” as a friendly “state” and nize Georgia’s breakaway regions as The statistics show that in 2016 there of the Tbilisi Shota Rustaveli Interna- “Due to our government’s intensive intends to establish and develop bilat- independent republics: Russia, Nica- were 34 electric and 5,390 hybrid cars tional Airport. work with the international community, eral inter-governmental relations. ragua, Venezuela and Nauru. GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 NEWS 3 Road Accident in West Georgia Leaves 28 Injured

directions, one from Tbilisi to Batumi remain in intensive care, two of them BY THEA MORRISON and the other from Batumi to Tbilisi, have fractured limbs and two have crashed into each other. facial bone fractures”. All injured passengers were taken to The Ministry of Internal Affairs of wenty-eight passengers Kobuleti hospitals. Georgia has launched an investigation were injured in an acci- The Minister of Health and Social under the ﬁ rst part of Article 276 of dent that took place on Affairs of Adjara, Zaal Mikeladze, went the Criminal Code of Georgia for Vio- the Adjara-Guria highway to the site of the crash and made a lation of Trafﬁ c Safety or Operation on Tuesday night. statement. “The majority of passengers Rules resulting in Harm to Human TTwo minibuses going in opposite have only minor injuries. Four people Health. Local Government Election Date Announced Mustafa Emre Çabuk’s BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI Pre-Extradition

he President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili Detention Extended announced the local government election date by another three months by the court BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI has been set for October this week despite an appeal ﬁ led by T21, 2017. Çabuk’s advocates which was denied by The presidential act has been coun- the judge. The pre-extradition period of ter-signed by the Prime Minister of ustafa Emre Çabuk, the three months was to end on Wednesday Georgia, meaning the pre-election Demirel College man- this week. campaign has now ofﬁ cially started, ager, detained since On July 7, Mustafa Emre Çabuk was refused with all related restrictions coming May 24 and accused of refugee status in Georgia by the Ministry into force. being involved with a of Internally Displaced Persons, Accom- According to the election code, the terroristM organization associated with modation and Refugees. Çabuk’s advocates restrictions apply to the use of the US-based Fethullah Gülen, is to remain appealed the decision on August 2. administrative resources in support of Furthermore, according to the regu- providing free advertising time to all in a pre-extradition detention facility in The status of Demirel College itself is or work against any political party/ lations, media outlets are required to the candidates no later than 50 days Georgian prison. now under question and will be candidate participating in the elections. provide fair and balanced coverage, prior to the election date. The detention period was increased announced next week. GEORGIA TODAY 4 POLITICS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Russia Closes

KUK-Hndesl GmbH is pleased to announce a vacancy in Georgia on the position Country Off Kerch Strait Manager / Technical Sales Manager

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Found LLC, run and develop company’s business in Georgia; • Create better products together with the food producers in all branches; • Establish and commit to a vision and sales strategy; • Responsible for sales activities, deal with key clients and close cooperation with them; • Directly reporting to regional branch; • Other duties as assigned;

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor and preferably Master’s degree in Food Technology; • Minimum 3 years of experience in food production; • Be a good food technologist, who likes to solve technical problems and also likes to develop good food products and have practical experience in the development and production of high quality food; • Have very good selling skills; • Be capable of independently running a business and simultaneously have the potential to be an active sales person; • Action oriented, willingness to take responsibility and initiative; • Ability to infl uence and negotiate while maintaining a strong focus on customer service; • Fluency in English; worked so well initially that they contemplated BY EMIL AVDALIANI • Clean driving license. adding a railroad bridge over it. However, construction was deemed too expensive. COMPANY OFFERS The Russians came back to the idea under Tsar he Ministry of Transport of the Rus- Nicholas II but it moved no further than a simple • Connection with 40 ingredients producers, with all their research centers and also with 60 sian Federation announced on August consideration as World War I approached. food technologists within the company sharing his/her experiences with them; 7 the temporary closure of the inter- Surprisingly, it was the Germans who made the • Training to enable the candidate to be provided with know how behind Company‘s Special- national Kerch Strait. According to fi rst attempts to connect the peninsula to the Rus- ties, to help the Georgian Industry to produce better Food and Pharma Products; the offi cial statement, the measure sian mainland. Construction began following the • Challenging and very interesting job; wasT related to the ongoing construction efforts seizure of Crimea by the Wehrmacht. For the • Salary to match your performance; of a bridge which would link the Russia-annexed Germans, the bridge would play a key role in sup- Crimean Peninsula with the Russian mainland. porting the Nazi war efforts in southern Russia. Interested candidates can send their CV (English Version) at:[email protected] Following the announcement, on August 9 a deci- As testament to how seriously the Germans were sion was made to close the strait to all maritime considering the idea is Adolf Hitler's decision to Attention: We consider and contact only suitable candidates! traffi c except for Russian naval vessels. The clo- appoint his architect and minister, Albert Speer, sure threatens the strategically important Ukrain- as a supervisor for the project. ian ports Mariupol and Berdiansk and would deny However, soon after construction began, the the Ukrainians entrance to the Azov Sea. Mariupol Soviet counter offensive began, driving the Ger- and Berdiansk serve as outposts for exporting mans from the occupied part of Ukraine. The Ukrainian steel to the West and therefore the Rus- Soviets managed to complete a bridge in 1944 and sian move will have an impact on an already frag- it was even used by the governmental delegation ile Ukrainian economy. headed by Josef Stalin to return to Moscow from the Yalta Peace Conference. Later, instead of BUILDING THE KERCH BRIDGE repairing the then-fragile bridge, it was decided The closure of the strait and the construction of to dismantle the construction. In 1954, a special the bridge over it are two interrelated develop- ferry between the Crimean town of Kerch and the ments. The announcement of the construction of town of Taman in southern Russia was initiated. the 12-mile-long Kerch Strait Bridge, with an approximate cost of over $3 billion, came after GEOPOLITICAL REASONS the annexation of Crimea. The road section of the Although the Russian decision to temporarily bridge is scheduled to be operative from late 2018, close the strait was offi cially related to construc- while the rail link is slated for the following year. tion measures and may not indeed be extended, It has been a long obsession of the Russians to it nevertheless refl ects the Russians’ strategic connect the Russian mainland with Crimea, start- thinking and concerns. The Kerch Strait is an ing in 1870 when the British built a telephone line approximately 25-mile-long channel that is no across the Kerch Strait to link with India. The line wider than 9 miles. The strait links the Black Sea to the Azov and is important as it allows the control of water routes and energy resources coming in and out of the Azov Sea. Thus, it was inevitable that Russia and Ukraine would fi ght for the territory. Indeed, there were cases even well before Russia-Ukraine relations plunged. In 2003, Russia and Ukraine nearly went to war over the strait crisis when Russia started It has been a long construction of a bridge to one of the islands in the Azov Sea. obsession of the However, following the Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine in 2014, the dispute between Moscow and Kiev has taken a much more serious turn, Russians to connect seeing the two countries now battling for control of the Black and Azov seas’ military and economic communication lines. the Russian mainland The Kerch Strait is a continuation of the North- ern Caucasus into Crimea, home to Russia's Black with Crimea, starting Sea Fleet located at Sevastopol. That is why Mos- cow is concerned that the pro-Western government in Kiev could potentially allow the strait to in 1870 when the be used by Western military fl eets and even NATO. Russians want to keep direct access to the Don River safe, closed to the military alliance. Moscow British built a also thinks that, theoretically, the strategically important Don River could be used by foreign telephone line troops to enter Russian mainland. As such, we need to put the Russian decision to close the strait into a wider geopolitical perspec- across the Kerch tive. Yet, even if the closure turns out to be only a temporary move, Moscow is sending a clear message to Kiev on the pressure tools it has to Strait to link with hand to limit potential Western military encroach- ment on strategic routes in the Black and Azov India seas. GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 POLITICS 5 Akhalgori: Awaiting First Bell as the School Language is Switched

Russia, though Russia is depriving the OP-ED BY ZAZA JGARKAVA population of the chance to develop. To everyone’s surprise, Bibilov’s “presidential” decision turned out to ike Gali, teaching in the be unacceptable to a number of Rus- Georgian language is to be sian experts. Political analyst Nikolai prohibited in eight Georgian Silaev believes that the planned novel- schools on the occupied ties will prove a great mistake for the South Ossetian territory of de-facto government of the Tskhinvali AkhalgoriL starting this autumn. From region: “If there are enough people September 15, Georgian fi rst graders used to learning in the Georgian lan- there will get the Russian “Azbuka” guage, and think of themselves as Geor- instead of “Dedaena” and Georgian gians, and of Georgian language as textbooks will gradually be replaced their mother tongue, it is unclear why by Russian in the higher classes. The they decided to forcibly replace the language of instruction will change in language of instruction with Russian. Georgian nursery schools, too. More- This will refl ect on the image of South over, the school teachers who are Source: c-r.org Ossetia and the attitude of the inter- unable to get “certifi cation” in Russian how the teachers from Tskhinvali will become part of the united educational leaders of both breakaway regions, the national community towards it. Even will lose their jobs. Principals and be able to communicate with them. system of the “Republic,” thus making number of youth coming to Georgia to considering that the republic is not teachers from the Georgian schools in Akhalgorians say their children will join it necessary to stop teaching in Geor- study is rising and the reason is simple: recognized, they do watch the situa- Akhalgori have already been invited those who are studying in the Tserovani gian and using Georgian textbooks. the quality of education is very low tion in the region closely, also examin- for certifi cation in Tskhinvali. IDP settlement. The so-called Ministry of Education there. Over recent years, Abkhazia has ing the attitude of these two non-rec- There were three public schools in This educational “reform” is a debut was quick to act in response to the seen an unprecedented increase in the ognized new states towards national Akhalgori before the August 2008 war: move by the newly appointed so-called orders given by the “President”. number of young drug users, and their minorities. The challenge of Tskhin- two Georgian and one Russia-Ossetian. South Ossetian President Anatoliy “The ‘Russifi cation’ of schools in parents are doing everything they can valian politicians is to be able to inte- One of the fi rst is already closed and Bibilov. Like the so-called President of Akhalgori aims at forcing Georgians to send them away; in this unresolvable grate Georgian minorities. Whether serves as a place of residence for the Abkhazia, the other occupied territory, to leave the territory,” said Mamuka situation as they say, “let it be even the Tskhinvali government will be able Russian military. About 70 pupils living Raul Khajimba, the former is also work- Areshidze, Head of the Caucasus Cen- Georgia, where the quality of educa- to do so is one of the most important in the area go to the one that remained ing hard to “disappear” the Georgian tre for Strategic Studies. “Earlier, Bibilov tion is high...” Moreover, most families criteria for a successful state,” he told and which has been divided by the language from the educational scene. said that the ‘system of State Security’ from Abkhazia and Ossetia can’t afford an Ekho Kavkaza journalist. Ossetian administration into Georgian In May, when Bibilov visited Akhalgori, of South Ossetia should be strength- to send their children to the qualifi ed Whether the position showed by the and Russian sectors. The number of he ordered two tasks to be done. One ened and that in this sense Georgians Russian educational institutions, or to Russian expert coincides with that of nursery schools has also diminished, was to lodge Ossetians in those houses residing Akhalgori were a big problem. get adequate medical treatment: they Offi cial Kremlin is hard to say, and a with only two Georgian-language nurs- in which Georgians had not lived on a There’s not much we can do about it, say that the only answer is “Georgia”, few weeks are left until the start of the eries with about 30 children left after permanent basis in the last fi ve years. other than have Offi cial Tbilisi talking where they are able to visit with the new academic year when everything, August 2008. Ten pupils of these two And another - to replace the Georgian loudly in the international arena about help of Georgians living on the “bor- including if this educational “reform” were supposed to start school this year; language of instruction with Russian the fact that people are forbidden to derline”. was that of Bibilov or of Kremlin, will naturally they know neither Russian and to leave Georgian as a taught sub- learn in their own mother tongue”. The latest decision was made by their most likely become clear when the fi rst nor Ossetian, and therefore it is unclear ject. Bibilov said that schools should Despite the acute statement of the “heads” to strengthen mutual trust with bell rings. GEORGIA TODAY 6 POLITICS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Thinking & Planning Source: on-purpose.com Strategically listening to them attentively might do a OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE lot of good to those whose future need a better consideration. Considering the future means thinking he world that we are part strategically and making the necessary of is changing rapidly and forecasts and prognostications. Listen developing dramatically, to this: if the UN forecast is true about and the main trends of that our plummeting demography, then our dynamic need to be known priorities in every walk of life have to Twell and have to be used to our own be different, simply different! Under- benefi t. I know that prognostication and standably, whatever the individual fore- strategic planning that refl ect key devel- cast for Georgia, a certain number of opment trends in the fi elds of economy, goals will always remain common for ideology, politics, innovation, social every nation, like propping up econo- sphere and security is what strong and mies, strengthening fi nancial markets, well-organized nations are doing on a balancing the growth and sustaining the regular basis. I only dare to wonder if stability of domestic and international this country, too, is engaged actively in security. the same process; putting this a little Even in one of the most pessimistic of differently, if we have a vision of Georgia our moods, Georgia cannot give up on in, say, thirty years from now- of its those goals; they are dictated by the demographic numbers, gross domestic nature of an ever-changing world econ- product, its competitive advantages and omy and the incipient new global polit- disadvantages, its place in the family of ical order. Certainly, Georgia cannot be nations, its chances to survive in general, a key actor in this international system, the new economic and political chal- but it still needs to play a modest role lenges and its potential to contribute to in the development of the demographic the well-being of our fl imsy and trouble- (demographic!), economic, fi nancial and ridden planet. social trends, as well as in the achieve- creation – this is all that needs to be ues, and Georgia cannot stand apart from ity, Georgia cannot but make a strategic I have a couple of reasons to suspect ments in science and technological considered and reconsidered until we this. Georgia is and will have to be part forecasting of its economic, social and that we have not completely mastered change, ideological activities and cultural handle them to our absolute advantage. of the battle, but only if we are still political existence. “The world has been the challenges of our times that Georgia processes. And to do this, we have to be On top of everything, we are also faced around. All that we’re talking about is undergoing a long period of international might experience in this disparate but around as a minimum. with challenges in the global community, happening in the globalized world, but tension, economic and fi nancial instabil- still very tightly interconnected world. Therefore, thorough calculation of including terrorism, displacement, pov- political analysts are telling us that ity, uncertainty and redistribution of One of these reasons is our nonchalant investment potential in our economic erty, hunger and health threats, job cre- regionalization is also seen as an impor- forces between traditional and new cent- reaction to the recent ominous forecast infrastructure, analysis of strategically ation, climate change, energy security, tant trend of global evolution. This is ers of gravity,” say experts of politics. by the United Nations about the dimin- signifi cant long-term trends, precise and the deepening inequality of many exactly what gives our small country a We have to sit up and pay attention: ishing of Georgia’s population in the determination of the ways of raising the different characters. We have lived long big place in this rapidly changing world, Georgia cannot avoid those threats and next half century and beyond. Those standard of living, a rational vision for enough to see the end of confrontation where the combination of a sense of risks because it has become an interna- well-known infl uential international utilizing natural resources, mastering a between capitalism and socialism, but identity and an understanding of the tional player, and no matter how big or organizations work mostly as watchdogs sense of technological and scientifi c have painfully bumped into the exacer- country's global responsibility have to small, it has to learn well how to see and whistle blowers, letting us know in changes, sharpening the feelers for bation of nationalism, the clash between be kept in mind as a constant datum. clearly into its future, having equipped advance what might happen to us, and emerging markets, and certainly, pro- various religious trends and moral val- With this circumstantial indispensabil- its eyes accordingly.

GEORGIA TODAY 8 BUSINESS AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Georgian Almond Growers Association Aims for High Interest Shown in Community Global Recognition of Georgia’s Potential Meetings for Nenskra Hydropower BY DAVIT GURIELI Plant Project

ocal community members he demand for almonds expressed high interest in is increasing by the year, information provided by JSC worldwide. This leads Nenskra Hydro, the company foreign investors to look developing the Nenskra for new locations to set HydropowerL Plant project, during pub- Georgia has yet to obtain energy inde- upT almond orchards. Georgia has an lic hearings this week in Chuberi and pendence, as the country experiences a extraordinary opportunity to become Nakra of Mestia Municipality, Svaneti defi cit in electricity supplies in autumn a hot point for almond production: the region. and winter due to less water being avail- climate and the soil of eastern Georgia Experts from each of the project’s tech- able from rivers and increased internal provides excellent conditions to com- nical teams were available to consult energy consumption. mercially grow almonds. with community members The average annual energy import dur- In frameworks of the USAID REAP An almond grove. Source: herbandroot from 9AM to 7PM August 22 and 23 in ing winter reaches 610.00 GWh from project, Agro Solutions conducted a have been identifi ed as having excel- guided by both Georgian and foreign Chuberi and on August 24 in Nakra. The Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Once study on the potential for an almond lent climate and soil conditions to grow experts who will share their expertise meetings were well attended by all the commissioned, Nenskra Hydropower market in Georgia. According to the particular commercial varieties of on modern technologies for setting up communities potentially impacted by Plant will generate approximately 1,200.00 research, Georgia has an opportunity almonds. Taking into consideration almond orchards and production. the Nenskra Hydropower Plant project. GWh annually, allowing Georgia to sub- to become one of the leading countries this potential, Agro Solutions founded GAGA, with the support of interna- Community members asked project stantially reduce its reliance on imported in almond production. the Georgian Almond Growers Asso- tional partners, will also assist Geor- specialists about local employment, dam energy and improve the economy of the The study identifi ed that since 2015, ciation (GAGA) with the aim to sup- gian almond growers to identify and safety, land acquisition and livelihood country. around 10 hectares of almond orchards port Georgia to become a leading establish business relations with foreign restoration, community investment pro- The supplementary studies of the Envi- has grown 900 hectares and this fi gure almond production country in the markets and will attend various meet- gram and environmental management. ronmental and Social Impact Assessment continues to increase, resulting in world. ings, conferences, seminars and exhi- JSC Nenskra Hydro representatives Report were fi rst disclosed in March Georgia coming under the radars of GAGA aims to create a platform which bitions outside of Georgia. All these welcomed the level of engagement, and 2017. The entire package of documents, foreign investors, who are already con- will involve farmers who already own activities will be aimed at increasing subject matter experts were available to as well as summaries, are available in ducting their own studies on risk fac- almond orchards in Georgia and at the the competence of Georgian farmers provide comprehensive responses to Georgian and English in JSC Nenskra tors and opportunities for almond same time will facilitate farmers who and specialists in almond production. community concerns and expressed Hydro Offi ce in Tbilisi, on the project’s production in Georgia. desire to become involved in almond GAGA hopes to pin Georgia on the commitment to continue engaging com- website and in the project information Several regions of eastern Georgia production. Consultations will be world almond production map. munities on regular basis. centers in Chuberi and Nakra. SOCIETY Magnum Photos & TBC Bank Present ‘In the Footsteps of Capa & Steinbeck’s Russian Journal’

Continued from page 1 Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, more freely to whomsoever we choose,” and Thomas Dworzak, President of Strauss said. In 2017, which marks 70 years both Magnum Photos, who will follow the He also pointed out that, as a writer, since the foundation of Magnum Photos route of Capa and Steinbeck while tell- he had decided to look to the “echoes”, and since Capa and Steinbeck’s visit to ing the stories of people living in Rus- the similarities and differences between the Soviet Union, the Magnum Photos sia, Ukraine and Georgia from today’s today and 1947. Strauss and Dworzak Agency decided to create a contempo- perspective. have already been to Russia and Ukraine rary version of the project with journal- “The project is inspired by a trip made and arrived in Georgia a day before their ist Julius Strauss, British Journalist and 70 years ago, resulting in the book called project presentation took place. Unlike former Bureau Chief of the Daily Tel- A Russian Journal,” Julius Strauss said Dworzak, who has spent a lot of time in egraph Moscow Ofﬁ ce, who has also at the presentation of the project held Georgia over the last twenty years, Strauss worked as a foreign correspondent in at Writer’s House in Tbilisi this week. had only been to Georgia a number of “More correctly, it should probably be times, mostly in 2003 and 2004. called A Soviet Journal, because of the “I’m not trying to copy Capa,” Thomas countries it was about. Obviously, 70 Dworzak said. “One of the most respected years ago, things were very, very differ- photographs by Capa was made during ent; it was a time of violent Stalinism, his trip to Georgia, in the exactly the when the Soviet Union appeared that it same place we stand today, the Writer’s might last forever,” he said. “Now, all House in Tbilisi, on Machabeli Street”. three countries are completely differ- The ﬁ rst photo exhibition from the ‘In ent.” the Footsteps of A Russian Journal’ pro- Strauss noted that another big differ- ject is to be hosted by TBC Bank on ence between the two projects is that September 18, at 7PM within the frames the original project was heavily controlled of the Tbilisi Photo Festival 2017. There and restricted, “we always knew that will be two exhibitions and an album they were heavily controlled regarding presentation, with Dworzak’s photos and what they were allowed to see; their Strauss’ writings. meetings carefully organized”. And while TBC Gallery hosts Dwor- Julius Strauss said the original state zak’s photo exhibition and album pres- documents about Capa and Steinbeck’s entation, TBC Art Gallery will showcase trip were found by a Russian writer, and the photographs made by Robert Capa it turned out that some of the meetings 70 years ago during his visit to Georgia. with different people that they called The photos are kept at TBC Bank. spontaneous were actually planned in The project is presented by Magnum advance. Photos and TBC Bank. The album is Steinbeck and Capa on their travels in “We are very happy that we are now being published with the support of IDS Ukraine, Russia and Georgia in 1947 able to move much more freely and talk Borjomi Georgia. The original book. Source: Amazon.co.uk

Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08 10 Galaktion Street E-mail: [email protected] GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 SOCIETY 9 The Borjomi Fire: An Overview

United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative in Georgia, Niels Scott, at the Emergency Headquarters for the disaster on Thursday

ple are still working on site. BY THE GT TEAM Overall, since the breakout of the blaze on Sun- day, 12 kilometers of road have been cut to reach the burning areas. he large fi re which began on August "The authorities have been heard saying they 20 in the Borjomi region near Daba were unprepared for such a spread of fi re- access village continued to spread into the roads and reservoirs are a must in any country with evening of Wednesday despite the large areas of forest," Katie said. efforts of more than 1500 Georgian “The situation is under control,” the Prime Min- Tfi refi ghters, forest workers and volunteers, employ- ister reported on Thursday, once again thanking Photo by K.R.Davies/GT ees of Georgian ministries and the aid of neighbor- the governments of the countries that had expressed ing countries. readiness to help put out the fi re. Firefi ghters struggled for seven hours on Sunday According to the latest reports, more than 10 hec- to contain a blaze which started for unknown rea- tares of land are said to have been damaged by the sons in the Tsagveri forest, Borjomi region. Resi- fi re, although some say that the offi cial estimate is dents of the nearby Daba village posted photos on lower than reality. Facebook asking for help during the early stages The Borjomi fi re was not the only blaze to be of the fi re, but help came too late and the fi re raged reported this week, as on Wednesday some 2ha out of control for the next four days, the sharp relief was burned in Ateni Gorge forest, Central Georgia. of the area making it diffi cult for fi re crews to reach Global Forest Watch (GFW) reported a total of 366 the burning areas, allowing the fi re to spread quickly fi re alerts in the country this past week. due to windy conditions. GFW is an open-source web application for mon- The fi rst area of fi re to be extinguished was that itoring global forests in near real-time. It uses near Daba village, but even as helicopters were cutting-edge technology and science to provide brought in to dump water from the Tsagveri-Daba the timeliest and most precise information about section of the Gujarula River, the blaze could be the status of forest landscapes worldwide, includ- seen breaking out in ever increasing pockets on ing near-real-time alerts showing the suspected the ridge opposite the Upper Sadgeri village. The locations of recent tree cover loss. fi re also began spreading in the opposite direction The organization specifi es that from August 16 towards the Timotesubani monastery. It is the same to August 23, fi re alerts from Georgian regions were area of forest that was damaged during the Georgia- as follows: Samtskhe-Javakheti – 279, Kakheti – 51, Russia 2008 August War. Shida Kartli – 16, Kvemo Kartli – 7, Mtskheta-Mti- Help came from many neighboring countries: aneti – 6, Imereti – 5, and Abkhazia – 2. to replace those 30,000 that were lost in the fi re”. tively through our joint efforts," PASHA Bank rep- two Georgian helicopters fought the blaze along- “In 2017, a total of 692 fi re alerts have so far been TBC Bank Group, Anaklia Development Consor- resentatives said. side one Azeri, one Belorussian, two Turkish and observed in Georgia. Last year, there were 616 alerts tium, Anaklia City, Coca Cola Georgia and Lisi In December 2016, PASHA Bank planted 2017 one Turkish plane. The helicopters were unable to and in 2015, 822,” GFW claims. Development have united with the pledge to restore Georgian Pine Trees on the Daba territory and later work by night due to lack of visibility. Each could United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resi- the 10 ha of forest damaged in this week’s fi re. funded the planting of an additional 500 trees as carry fi ve tons of water at a time to drop on the dent Representative in Georgia, Niels Scott, was “In these diffi cult times, we’re joining our efforts, part of the Agadgine campaign. Most of those plants forest. Diggers deepened one area of the Gujarula at the Emergency Headquarters for the disaster on taking the responsibility to fully restore 10 hectares were destroyed by the fi re. River near Daba village to allow the helicopters to Thursday. During the meeting with PM Kvirikash- of the forest,” said Mamuka Khazaradze, Co-Founder lower their waterbags before fl ying up around the vili, Scott noted that from the very fi rst minutes of and Chairman of the Board of TBC Bank Group. GEORGIA TODAY encourages its dear readers to par- smoke to dump the contents on the burning moun- the disaster, the Georgian government had kept “I would like to appeal to all businessmen to join ticipate in the rehabilitation of the Borjomi forest via web- tains above. the UN Geneva and Tbilisi offi ces informed. us in this initiative. Together, I’m sure we can restore page: agadgine.ge/en Our journalist Katie Davies was on the ground “According to the UN, today, important progress the unique nature of Borjomi”. "Companies can also join the process by donating waste on Tuesday afternoon and reported that the fi re has been made,” Scott said. “The Prime Minister PASHA Bank, which this year dedicated its CSR paper for recycling. Tissue Paper will collect waste paper could be clearly seen from Upper Sadgeri on the provided successful coordination of the large-scale project to rehabilitating Borjomi forest, working from volunteer companies and recycle it. GEL 0.15 will Plateau behind Borjomi town, moving in the direc- operation which involved 1,500 people. As a result, with Agadgine.ge and Tissue Paper, has said it will be transferred to the account of Agadgine for each col- tion of Borjomi. this serious fi re is now under control. The scale of continue the rehabilitation process of the burned lected kilogram of paper. The accumulated funds will be “The situation here is devastating,” Katie said. “A work carried out is really impressive. The presence Borjomi forest together with other companies. "We applied to planting trees and taking care of them over cloud of yellow smoke covers the valley, rising up of these people, the amount of work and hours hope that the restoration will be done more effec- the next fi ve years," PASHA Bank said. over Borjomi and towards Bakuriani, casting an spent during these days are clearly visible, result- eerie glow over the town and villages below. In ing in the protection of the local population from Borjomi, I saw a light coating of ash on some cars the fi re. The UN is engaged in coordinating and and the air is heavy with the smell of wood smoke. supporting the process. In our opinion, the opera- Three helicopters are working- two Georgians and tion has been very successful. I would like to con- one Azeri. The pilots have been fl ying since morn- gratulate every person involved in the process, ing. At present, the fi re is no threat to inhabited including the Prime Minister, the government, and areas," Katie said, adding that “the general consen- the people here, including those countries that took sus with the local population is that the fi re started part. Excellent work has been done,” he concluded. naturally as it started so high above Daba village". GEORGIA TODAY spoke to Salome Kukava from On Wednesday, it was reported that canisters full Agadgine.ge, a social campaign initiated in April by of petrol had allegedly been found in Borjomi for- the Business Information Agency (BIA) and Treepex est. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) also Startup in order to restore the areas damaged by began an investigation into glass bottle shards found fi re during the August 2008 War which have been near the fi re that were said to smell of fuel. unable to rejuvenate independently. Kukava says The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikash- that 80% of the trees planted in the framework of vili, went to the site to monitor the fi re extinguish- the campaign were burned in this week’s fi re. ing work. He thanked all involved for their efforts. “The planting season ended on May 20 and we “The Armenian side has offered their help and were planning to continue planting in September,” special crews are on their way to assist us,” he said she told us. “32,300 trees had been planted [some on Tuesday. 3,000 trees per hectare], but following the fi re, The President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, unfortunately, only approximately 2,000 are left”. also thanked all those involved in extinguishing Agadgine.ge says it will replant trees as soon as the fi re. a study of the area is done, “considering the rec- At the time of going to press, Prime Minister ommendations from the Ministry of Environment Kvirikashvili has said that the still-burning areas Protection and other institutions,” Kukava told us. have been isolated from the remaining healthy sec- “We’ll keep to all the responsibilities taken on with tion of the forest and six helicopters and 1500 peo- our campaign and of course we’ll be planting trees Borjomi today. Source: Georgian Public Broadcaster GEORGIA TODAY 10 SOCIETY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Heavy Rain, Wind Hits Ureki & Shekvetili Villages in Guria

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

eavy rain and wind hit the villages of Ureki and Shek- vetili in the region of Guria Tuesday night. The wind was strong enough to rip treesH from their roots and damage electricity lines and cars. Yards and the ground fl oors of houses and shops were fl ooded and the roofs of fi ve houses were destroyed in Ureki. Emergency services were working on site Wednesday to clear the area, along- side local volunteers. Energo Pro Georgia reported that the majority of the local population have had electricity restored, which was cut off on the day of the storm due to damaged electricity lines. The main street in Ureki. Source: Natia Gabodze Cameraderie: Becho, Svaneti

peared behind Mt. Mazeri; at least I’d log-cabin camp for Georgian border BLOG BY TONY HANMER managed several shots of the former guards, as we were then very close to before losing it and further photographic the border with Russia. Apparently, an possibilities. Now I could concentrate overnight stay would require a pass from he best camera is the one on the trail, the views and my compan- a similar station a bit further back; this you have with you, they say. ions. Photography does tend to be a is free, needing only one’s passport. Sometimes you just have rather antisocial activity, at least my ver- The way began to climb, and to get to make do. sion, but it would not hinder me much more and more rocky, too. We could now Having lived in Georgia today. hear as well as see the falls. Suddenly, Tsince late 1999, focused mostly on Svaneti, From our gradually narrowing distance as we rounded a corner, the wind and and with almost a decade of living up to the falls, I already began formulating water spray whipped up, and the tem- here, it’s high time to get to know some a “dream trip”: an overnight tent camp perature plummeted suffi ciently that of the local sights which have eluded at their base on a suffi ciently moonless, some of our group put on light jackets. one thus far. Life should not become too cloudless night, to shoot both the water There are three sets of falls; the middle busy for such pleasures; they should and the stars in the same very wide-angle one, mid-weight as well, still produces become an essential part of life, indeed. frame. More on this later. a large enough river that you cannot To the Becho waterfalls, then. My school We crossed the raging Dolra River on easily, if at all cross, to reach the largest pupils and colleagues of two years had a bridge wide enough for a horse, and one. And at this point the ground is so promised to take us there, and the time then found the horses, at a permanent strewn with rocks from half a person to had come to make good on that. My half a house in size that there seems former co-teacher’s daughter and to be no obvious place to pitch even her husband were the guides this a one-person tent in any comfort. time. This, plus the spray, made me rethink Two friends/guests joined us, and my “dream trip”, though it might I drove us all to the Grand Hotel still be possible. In any case, the Ushba, where we parked the car and only camera I had to use was my began hiking at 9AM. In the end, I wife’s cell-phone which, although could have driven us 3 km closer, far from my own camera’s quality, but this mistake only emerged later. would end up being a lot better than Most of the hike is through forest, nothing! I took advantage. so you at least have the benefi t of My wife then asked me and the shade on a hot, cloudless day. But I guide to speed back ahead of us, soon found a worse mistake than the get the car, and bring it closer to car-park one. As my fi rst camera bat- where they would end up at their tery died and asked to be replaced slower pace. We did this, saved the with a fresh one, I discovered that the others three km, burned up various fresh one, too, was completely empty; muscles in the process, and ended useless. This after having charged it our fi rst look at Becho’s set of water- less than two weeks ago! I ended up falls. I now feel that I can add them abandoning my gear in rage at a nearby to my own slowly growing reper- café for a few hours’ safekeeping, tri- toire as a guide, and I will see if that pod included; no point in lugging its starry night idea emerges, too, if weight all that way to no purpose. We there is a secret fl at location for my walked on. I still had my eyes, and tent nearby. my words. Our car-wide road gradually nar- Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since rowed to a path two-people wide, 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been and well peopled it was; a popular a weekly writer for GT since early 2011. route. Much of the way, we could He runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Face- see our destination- several glacier- book group, now with over 1500 fed falls streaming through the air members, at www.facebook.com/ to a drop far below. Ushba disap- groups/SvanetiRenaissance/

GEORGIA TODAY 12 CULTURE AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 Five Stages of Genuine Love

Nino Kandelaki, psychologist, BY MAKA LOMADZE psychotherapist, specialist of psycho- synthesis, art-therapist, a specialist oriented on body, and head of the Psychological Aid Center any seemingly smitten people are brought to fi nishing one and starting the next. ask themselves if they The fourth is called Pragma, which are truly in love or not. verifi es how effective a couple is together. GEORGIA TODAY In Georgian, the word itself ‘yoke goers’ Mspoke with Nino Kandelaki, psycholo- (meughle), which is used for spouses, gist, psychotherapist, specialist of psycho- symbolizes two bulls that are under the synthesis, art-therapist, a specialist ori- same yoke. What matters most is that ented on body, and head of the they should be headed in the same direc- Psychological Aid Center. Our topic of tion in order to be productive and ‘plough conversation was the fi ve stages that the land’. In this case, if there is harmony, genuine love passes through, be it between 1+1 makes not 2, but 3, 4 and sometimes mere sweethearts, or spouses in it for even 5, i.e. the couple is effective. the long-haul. “We're going to talk about the fi ve WHAT ABOUT THE FIFTH STAGE? stages of love which were fi rst classifi ed This is the ‘funeral repast,’ which already by ancient Greeks and are now acknowl- denotes a genuine love. It means that edged by modern psychologists,” Kan- the couple cheerfully make a sacrifi ce delaki tells us. for each other on a daily basis. In this “Before going to those stages in par- happy case, both say: ‘I am yours’. If any ticular, we should explain what love is. one of the pair says that ‘you are mine,’ Love is made up of the body, in terms of it is already a sense of property. Genuine desire/libido; mind, which helps us to love implies that both try to serve the respect our partner; and soul, which other, making each other happy without gives us the chance to be friends and any compulsion. We do not talk at all simply love each other as people. There about merging. In the latter, which is an is a saying: fall in love with love in order unhealthy phenomenon, one completely to fi nd the joy of life. It’s a splendid say- loses one’s individuality, as one loses ing, as the earth breathes through love, one’s own desires and interests, telling as do all healthy human relationships. the partner: ‘as you wish’. In the begin- Love helps people to love life and see ning, you may like such a person, but themselves in the eyes of his/her lover”. later on, such people become uninter- esting, urging a partner to search for a TELL US ABOUT THE new love interest. The so-called ‘funeral STAGES OF LOVE repast’ implies an unconditional love The fi rst is the erotic stage: libido between when both of the pair receives a partner the two, which is an absolutely neces- with all his/her shortcomings instead of sary component of love, however, not trying to change him/her, leaving it to suffi cient in itself as it cannot be devel- love to make better changes. They serve oped. Sexual desire either exists or does each other, but it is by no means a rela- not between a couple. tionship of a sacrifi ce and a savior. This The second stage is Eros, which implies stage reveals the main criterion of love: the emotional connection between souls. ‘if I feel good through your wellbeing It means that you are simply pleased to and I do my best for you to feel better, be with your partner. There is a threat and you do the same, it means that you here of becoming obsessed, as endor- love me, too’. It is simple but brilliant. phins are often born only when one sees This is the way of life, and even without one’s object of desire- resembling a drug- saying it to one another, if they live like addiction, as one becomes dependent that, they genuinely love each other. Love on another. By the side of your sweet- makes a unity from two. Here, a com- heart, you are in heaven, whilst without pletely new phenomenon- ‘us’ -emerges. them, one is as if without drugs- nervous One is not dominant at all, and there is and blue. This stage lasts for 1-4 years, no merging either. This is a qualitatively after which love ends unless the couple new phenomenon. They respect each shares common values and interests. other’s dignity, which is the main thing The third stage is Stogra, the rubicon in the relationship. of love. This is the stage of good, open- hearted friendship between the two. This HOW COULD IT BE COMPARED relationship is based on common inter- WITH THE LOVE OF A ests and values, when the two enjoy MOTHER AND CHILD? talking to each other. It means that they Love between a mother and a child is talk not only after physical relations, but also unconditional, but it is instinctive, can talk even instead of contact. Here, whereas love between partners is more the emotional connection is not domi- sublime, as, here, each works on the self. nant, it is about genuine interest in your There is quite a number of couples who partner. However, even this is not suf- reach the fi fth stage. Such pairs have no fi cient… sexual problems, as this kind of inner These stages may be in process paral- state naturally awakens a real man in a lel to one another rather than strictly man and a real woman in a woman. GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 CULTURE 13 When Classic Meets Jazz, Georgian Trio at Konzerthaus Berlin

(concert.arte.tv/young-euro-classic). The ensemble ‘Basiani’ will be repre- BY MAKA LOMADZE “It is a great honor for me to be taking sented by Sergo Urushadze (Ober- part in such an important event as the stimme), Paata Tsetskhladze (Mittel- Georgia-German Year. We have been stimme) and Zurab Tskrialashvili n August 29, the concert actively preparing for this of the world-acclaimed concert for the several last Georgian musicians months,” Mikadze, Project Giorgi Mikadze, pianist Musical Director, told GEOR- and composer; Lizi Ram- GIA TODAY. “For the program, ishvili,O young and distinguished virtuoso I created my new project cellist; and Ensemble ‘Basiani’ Trio, will ‘Georgian Overtones’ for Ber- take place at the Konzerthaus Berlin lin especially. We can say that under the aegis of the Georgia-German the interpreted form of Geor- Year. They will perform the project gian music will make the whole ‘Georgian Overtones’ exclusively, led soiree of Konzerthaus Berlin. by Giorgi Mikadze, at the international The band is staffed with mar- Music festival ‘Young Euro Classic,’ a velously talented Georgian prestigious world occasion. The honor- and German musicians. First ary presenter of the project is Nils of all, let me mention Nils Landgren, legendary Swedish trombon- Landgren, Artistic Director ist, singer and producer. of ‘Classic Meets Jazz’, as well The project ‘Georgian Overtones’ is as virtuoso Georgian cellist Photo by: Giorgi Khutsishvili being held within the scope of events Lizi Ramishvili and ensemble organized to celebrate the 25th anni- ‘Basiani’ Trio, with which I’m (Bassstimme), who will ship itself counts several years. We used versary of establishing diplomatic rela- doing the second project after perform together with to study together at the Tbilisi State tions between Germany and Georgia. ‘Voisa’. I hope this project will Bjorn Atle Anfinsen, Conservatory- he in the Piano Faculty It is supported by the Ministry of Cul- be as successful as the latter”. (Trumpet), Ellen Andrea and I in the Choir Department. It was ture and Monument Protection of Geor- “All of us are feeling very Wang, (double bass) and Giorgi’s idea to unite Georgian folklore gia. The organizer is the Embassy of positive,” said Ramishvili, Eva Klesse (drums). with contemporary genres, which he Georgia to the Federal Republic of Ger- (cello). “When Giorgi sug- “The musical relation- then shared with me and Giorgi Don- many. Within the framework of the gested I participate in his new ship between Giorgi adze, Head of the Ensemble. Obviously, project, some musical artworks of Geor- project, it was a very pleasant Mikadze and our ensem- we immediately took an interest in this gian folk, as well as some of Giorgi surprise for me which I gladly ble started in 2016, when thrilling experiment. In this way, the Mikadze’s authorized compositions, accepted. The project ‘Geor- we jointly realized the project ‘Voisa’ was created. As for the will be performed. gian Overtones’ is very inter- project ‘Voisa’ in New project ‘Georgian Overtones,’ here we The joint concert of successful Geor- esting in essence, to represent York,” said Zurab Tskri- participate just as a trio. It’s a great gian and German musicians will be the name of Georgia at one of alashvili, Director of honor to be taking part in the ‘Young transmitted live on famous cultural the most signiﬁ cant European Ensemble ‘Basiani’, Euro Classics’ festival and we hope that French-German TV channel ARTE centers”. remembered. “Our friend- our performance will be a success”. GEORGIA TODAY 14 CULTURE AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017

WHAT’S ON IN TBILISI CINEMA PERMANENT EXHIBITION: July 5 - September 11 have the opportunity to see IX- A. Vivaldi– Violin Concerto in e ARCHAEOLOGICAL TREASURE EXHIBITION OF DAVID XVIII century masterpieces of minor, RV. 278 C., Examples of work by early SULAKAURI'S ARTWORKS world importance such as: the Saint-Saens– Introduction and AMIRANI CINEMA Georgian goldsmiths were The exhibition features up to 100 Icon of the Forty Sebastian Rondo Capricciozo, op. 28 Address: 36 Kostava Str. discovered during archeological works by David Sulakauri and a Martyrs, Embroidered Byzantine Start time: 20:00 Telephone: 2 99 99 55 excavations. The exhibition catalog of his artworks. This is Icon, Venetian Cross, jug donated www.kinoafi sha.ge Ticket price: 10-45 GEL presents three periods the fi rst wide-scale exhibition of by Queen Tamar, the earliest Venue: The concert hall of Sheraton development in the history of the author dedicated to his 65th remaining sample of illustrated Every Wednesday ticket price: 5 GEL Batumi Hote Georgian goldwork, from the 3rd anniversary. manuscript- Adishi Gospels (897) August 25-31 century BCE to the 4th century CE: and more. The last exhibition August 28 KURGAN CULTURE (3-2 BCE) EXHIBITION FIELD OF FLOWERS hall in the museum is dedicated VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A Participants: GOLDEN FLEECE COLKHETI (8- The name "Field of Flowers" came to exponents of Georgian THOUSAND PLANETS Alex and Daniel Gurfi nkel 3 BCE) from the eponymous poem Campo Ethnography. Directed by Luc Besson (Clarinet, Israel), KINGDOM OF KARTLI-IBERIA di Fiori by Czesław Miłosz, an Cast: Dane DeHaan, Cara Michael Gurfi nkel (Conductor, (3RD CENTURY BCE-4TH honorary citizen of Kedainiai. He July 30 – September 10 Delevingne, Clive Owen Israel) CENTURY CE) wrote it in 1943 in Warsaw during Georgian National Museum Program: Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi and Project ArtBeat present the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. I. Pvolotsky– Jewish Soul Fantasy, Language: Russian HERE NUMISMATIC TREASURY The exhibition showcases artworks op. 103a, Ticket: 9-14 GEL A solo exhibition The exhibition showcases money by 14 artists from different Saint-Saens- Introduction and of New York based circulation on the territory of countries. Rondo Capricciozo, op. 28, WIND RIVER Georgian artist Georgia from the 6th century BC. F. Mendelssohn– Konzertstuk 1 in f Directed by Taylor Sheridan MUSEUM OF SOVIET LEVAN MINDIASHVILI to 1834. minor, op. 113, Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Jon Bernthal, OCCUPATION Jeremy Renner Liana Isakadze (Violin), THE TESTAMENT OF DAVID Address: 4 Rustaveli Ave. GALLERY Genre: Action, Crime, Mystery Jazz Trio: Otar Magradze (Piano), THE BUILDER AND NEW Telephone: 2 99 80 22, 2 93 48 21 Otar Saganelidze (Double bass), Language: Russian EXHIBITS OF THE MEDIEVAL www.museum.ge THE NATIONAL GALLERY Gia Salagishvili (Drums) and Ticket: 9-14 GEL TREASURY Address: 11 Rustaveli Ave. PERMANENT EXHIBITION www.museum.ge Tamaz Chachava (Vocal) Jazz Session RUSTAVELI CINEMA September 27 (2016) – Discover the personal fi les of Telephone: 215 73 00 Start time: 20:00 Address: 5 Rustaveli Ave. September 22 (2017) "subversive" Georgian public Ticket price: 10-45 GEL Telephone: 2 55 50 00 EXHIBITION STONE AGE GEORGIA fi gures, orders to shoot or exile, and June 8 – September 11 www.kinoafi sha.ge other artifacts representing Soviet- EXHIBITION CONSTELLATION Venue: The concert hall of Sheraton Batumi Hotel May 18- November 18 era cultural and political repression Artworks by Chinese contemporary Every Wednesday ticket: 5 GEL EXHIBITION in Georgia. The exhibition hall is artists- Ai Weiwei, Hu Xiaoyuan, August 29 August 25-31 GEORGIAN COSTUME AND equipped with monitors, where Li Shurui, Liu Wei, Lu Pingyuan, WEAPONRY OF 18TH-20TH visitors can watch documentaries Lu Shanchuan, Ma Qiusha, Wang LIANA ISAKADZE AND THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD CENTURIES of various historical events. The Guangle, Wang Sishun, Wang JUSTUS FRANTZ Directed by Patrick Hughes exhibition also includes one of Yuyang, Xie Molin, Xu Qu, Xu Start time: 20:00 Cast: Gary Oldman, Ryan Reynolds, MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS the train carriages in which the Zhen, Yan Xing, Zhang Ding, Zhang Ticket price: 10-45 GEL Samuel L. Jackson Address: 1 Gudiashvili Str. participants of the national uprising Zhenyu, Zhao Yao and Zhao Zhao. Venue: The concert hall of Sheraton Genre: Action, Comedy Telephone: 299 99 09 of 1924 were executed. It is also Batumi Hotel Language: Russian dedicated to the history of the anti- MUSIC Ticket: 9-14 GEL March 6 – August 30 occupational, national-liberation August 31 EXHIBITION movement of Georgia and to the THE IX INTERNATIONAL Program: DUNKIRK MASTERPIECES FROM THE victims of the Soviet political FESTIVAL NIGHT SERENADES Liana Isakadze (Violin, Conductor), Directed by Christopher Nolan MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS repression throughout this period. Justus Frantz (Conductor, Cast: Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, COLLECTION August 26 Germany) Kenneth Branagh The exhibition includes works by SVANETI MUSEUM OF The IX International Festival of Program: Genre: Action, Drama, History Bernardo Daddi, Lucas Cranach HISTORY AND legendary F. Schubert– String Quintet, Language: Russian (Elder), Guido Reni, Jan Steen, ETHNOGRAPHY Georgian violinist and conductor A. Vivaldi– Violin Concerto in e Start time: 16:45 Jacob Van Ruisdael, Auguste Rodin, Address: 7 A. Ioseliani Str., Mestia LIANA ISAKADZE minor, RV. 278, Ticket: 10-11 GEL Pablo Picasso, Vassily Kandinski; Participants: Tchaikovsky, Tsintsadze– RENEWED SVANETI MUSEUM’S Masterpieces by Niko Liana Isakadze (Violin / Melancholy Serenade, PERMANENT EXHIBITION MUSEUM Pirosmanashvili, Lado Gudiashvili conductor), Melodie, Valse-Scherzo, The museum has six permanent and David Kakabadze. David Mukeria (Conductor, C. Saint-Saens– Introduction and exposition halls. Visitors can Georgia), GEORGIAN NATIONAL Rondo Capricciozo, op. 28 travel inside the museum and Program: MUSEUM SIMON JANASHIA IOSEB GRISHASHVILI Start time: 20:00 MUSEUM see exponents discovered during P. Tchaikovsky– Souvenir de TBILISI HISTORY MUSEUM Ticket price: 7-30 GEL Address: 4 Rustaveli Ave. - KARVASLA archeological excavations, and Florence, op. 70, Venue: Tbilisi, Rustaveli Theater Telephone: 2 99 80 22, 2 93 48 21 Address: 8 Sioni St. numismatic samples. In the special Tchaikovsky, Tsintsadze– www.museum.ge Telephone: 2 98 22 81 halls of Christian treasure, visitors Melancholy Serenade, BLACK SEA ARENA Address: Tsikhisdziri, Adjara

August 26 Black Sea Arena and Check in Georgia presents: THE LEGENDARY GORAN BREGOVI Start time: 20:00 Ticket: From 15 GEL

CLUB TAKE FIVE Address: Batumi, Boulevard

August 27 GOOFY LAND & SHVIDKACA Concert Start time: 22:00 Ticket: 20, 30 GEL

BATUMI SUMMER THEATER Address: Batumi, Boulevard

August 30 THE ROYAL NATIONAL BALLET Renewed concert of the “Fire of Georgian Dance” Start time: 20:00 Ticket: 15-30 GEL

MUSIC FESTIVAL SAIRME 2017 Address: Resort Sairme

August 26 ENSEMBLE SHAVNABADA Start time: 17:00 Ticket: From 20 GEL GEORGIA TODAY AUGUST 25 - 28, 2017 CULTURE 15 Liana Isakadze’s ‘Night Serenades’ Back for More and string orchestra by R. Feigelson formance of Justus Frantz (conductor, ‘String Quintet arranged for string orches- and dedicated to Alex and Daniel Germany), who will play Schubert’s tra’. Liana Isakadze will play the violin to protect them from the dazzling desert Gurfi nkel). F. Mendelssohn – Konzert- ‘String Quintet’, arranged by him for and conduct Vivaldi’s Concert for Violin BY MAKA LOMADZE of life. Thus, people will adorn you with stuk 1 in f minor, op. 113 will be their string orchestra. Under his baton, Liana and String Orchestra, E minor, RV278. love, rather than admiring you,” writes fi nal performance. The day will be will play Bernstein’s ‘West Side Story’ She will also play Tchaikovsky- the number one violinist of Georgia, culminated in a jazz session in which on violin. Tsintsadze’s ‘Melancholy Serenade’, n August 26-31, Batumi “How rude is a word to the eternal, word- Liana Isakadze, Otar Maghradze, Gia On August 31, the festival will culmi- ‘Melody’ and ‘Waltz- Scherzo’. The con- seaside city will host the less world.” These golden words also Salaghishvili, David Saganelidze and nate in a concert in Tbilisi where the cert will be capped by Saint-Saens’ ‘Intro- 9th International Classical belong to Liana Isakadze, a lady with a Tamaz Chachava will participate. famous German conductor and pianist duction and rondo capriccioso’ op.28 Music Festival ‘Night Ser- very characteristic chuckle, full of kind- August 29 will be unveiled by the per- Justus Frantz will conduct Schubert’s (arranged for violin and string orchestra). enades’. On August 22, the ness, as of geniuses and eternal children. MinistryO of Culture and Monument Pro- “Maybe my feelings cheat on me, but tection of Georgia hosted the press con- they are prompted by purity and heart”. ference in which the great violin player, In 1981, the Georgian State Chamber conductor Liana Isakadze, partook. The Orchestra invited Liana to work as its news is that this time, jazz will also be artistic director and, later, as the main performed. Legendary Isakadze will conductor. After a triumphal debut in appear in a theatrical character within Tbilisi and Moscow under her baton, the festival- as a soloist and conductor. and subsequently, in Post-Soviet coun- As per tradition, the ensemble ‘virtuosos’ tries and overseas, the orchestra became will play with her. one of the leading ensembles in the The International Festival of Classical world. Since 1982, the orchestra has Music ‘Night Serenades’ was founded in guest-appeared in many countries in 1982, in Abkhazia. However, due to the Europe and Asia, as well as in America war, it was ceased. “I could not continue and Australia. The orchestra released a it, as after the confl ict, there was a risk lot of records at the famous fi rm ‘Melody’ my international guests come to harm,” in Moscow, as well as at ‘Orfeo’ in Munich. Isakadze said. She was one of those eminent musicians In 1988, she was the fi rst artist to hold who, together with composer Schnittke, the festival ‘Musicians Joke’ in the Post- recorded the one and only record of Soviet space, which fast gained popular- ‘Concerto Grosso’, which is a unique ity. Later, in 2009, Night Serenades was case when the aforementioned composer reignited in Batumi. Its founder and plays on the grand-piano. She conducted unchangeable artistic director is Liana the fi rst ever orchestra version of Ross- Isakadze herself. The great interest ini’s ‘Petite Messe Solennelle,’ orches- towards the festival stipulated its widen- trated by Rossini himself. ing and since 2015 it has borne the name During her years with the Georgian of Batumi-Tbilisi International Festival. Chamber Orchestra, Kurt Masur, Genadi Liana was born to a family of intellec- Rojdestvensky, Yehudi Menuhin, Natalia tuals. Her father was Sandro Isakadze, Gutman and many more sparkling stars specialist of physics and mathematics, guest-appeared in Georgia. a uniquely honest man, many of whose In 1990, supported by ‘Audi’ and Bavaria inventions stood in the vanguard of Municipality, Liana founded the Cham- European thinking. For instance, he ber Orchestra of Georgia in Ingolstadt, turned a razor on a lathe by his own Germany. Since then, she has conducted hands back in 1965. He didn't believe it numerous European orchestras in Aus- right to think about what people would tria, Finland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, say, but to better think about what our Slovakia, Switzerland, France, Spain, as conscience tells us. Liana’s mother, Galina well as the Malmo (Sweden) Symphonic Kvirikashvili, was as pure a person as Orchestra and European Youth Chamber her child, denying her vocal talent for Orchestra. the sake of her children’s bright future. On August 26, Liana Isakadze (violin, She was always by Liana’s side like a conductor), will play Tchaikovsky’s ‘Sou- shadow, trying to protect her from the venir de Florence’, arranged for string temperature as well as from the severe orchestra by Liana herself. op. 70. Later, world, remaining invisible herself. Tchaikovsky-Tsintsadze will be per- This is the world of Liana Isakadze – formed, namely, ‘Melancholy Serenade’, one of the most sparkling violin players ‘Melody’ and ‘Waltz-Scherzo’. On the in the world. She leads a ‘cosmic’ orches- same day, under the baton of Davit Muke- tra, thus reaching divine levels, maximally ria, Vivaldi’s Concert for Violin and free from earthly desires. For her, love String Orchestra, E minor, RV278 will reigns and not the mind. She is a real be played. The day will end with Saint- genius, who, at the age of 23, wrote Saens’ ‘Introduction and rondo capric- meditations – a kind of credo for artists. cioso’ op.28 (arranged for violin and In those days, she naturally lacked expe- string orchestra). rience and the literature she read was August 28 will be the day of honor- limited, too. But, still, she possessed this ary guests: the world-acclaimed Gurfi n- wisdom. Reportedly, while fl ying to other kel family- brothers, Alex and Daniel countries, currents of refl ections fl ooded Gurfi nkel (clarinet, Israel) and their her in the airplane. She calls it inspira- father Michael Gurfi nkel (conductor, tion from God, which she immediately Israel). They will play Povolotsky’s wrote on the fl ight tickets. Later, these ‘Jewish Soul Fantasy,’ op 103a (on tra- were published in a book. ditional and popular tunes) as well as “Carefully entwine your hands around Saint-Saens’ ‘Introduction and rondo your souls and hold them high in order capriccioso’ (arranged for two clarinets

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