Issue no: 943 • MAY 5 - 8, 2017 • PUBLISHED TWICE WEEKLY PRICE: GEL 2.50

In this week’s issue...

Russia & : Removing Trade Barriers in Exchange for Tourist Safety NEWS PAGE 2 Left to the Bear? Georgia in the World of a Le Pen Victory POLITICS PAGE 4 FOCUS ON KINDERGARTENS TBC BANK to Receive Growing the new generation- a look at $100 million Credit Line from the recent reforms PAGE 8&9 EBRD & EU BUSINESS PAGE 5 CoE Know-How on Child (& Early) Marriages: Education, Education, Education! Head of Tbilisi Kindergarten INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE Management Agency on

hen foreign media publishes Kindergarten Reforms something about Georgia, it’s either about the political SOCIETY PAGE 8 situation – good forbid Geor- gia swaying from the pre- Lost Wcarious path of Europeanization! - or, if we’re lucky, about how great a tourist destination our Legends country is. Social aspects of life rarely, if ever, get covered, so when the Washington Post pub- CULTURE PAGE 11 lished a sizable photo reportage about child brides (and early marriages in general), many an eyebrow was raised. Especially when, con- trary to what one might have expected, it wasn’t just the Muslim ethnic minorities that were girl’s parents and even kidnapping by a suitor,” under “special circumstances” with the consent mentioned. Teenage girls from and Adjara the article reads. Among the other reasons it of parents and a court. Additionally, it has signed in Western Georgia were presented as just as doesn’t mention is the actual willingness of some and is to ratify the Istanbul Convention, a mas- likely to create families at the tender ages of 16-18 couples to create a family and society’s encour- sive document penned by the Council of as their Muslim counterparts in Gardabani or aging attitude towards it, or how early marriages that aims at preventing and combating violence Lagodekhi. are given another layer of legitimacy by the against women and domestic violence. It was “The United Nations Population Fund has esti- Church, with ordained priests in Georgia bless- these issues that Panorama TV Show and GEOR- mated that at least 17 percent of girls [in Georgia] ing such marriages on daily basis. GIA TODAY discussed with Ms. Bridget get married before the age of 18. There are many So, what’s the country to do? Georgia has com- O’Loughlin, head of the Violence against Women reasons that these marriages still take place, plied with European standards and recently Division at the Council of Europe. including long-standing tradition, the will of the voided a legal norm that allowed such marriages Continued on page 6 GEORGIA TODAY 2 NEWS MAY 5 - 8, 2017 2300 People Lose Jobs Following Ministry Reorganization

in total 137 employees were dismissed after IP reorganization. The NGO says that there were several Partnership Fund to shortcomings during the reorganization process, though some positive trends were also noted. Expand Lopota Complex Head of the GYLA, Ana Natsvlishvili, stated that the government has yet to discuss the results of the reorganization assisting in the part considered neces- in parliamentary sessions. She also BY THEA MORRISON sary for development,” the PM said after believes that the government should the signing ceremony. deliver a report on the process to Parlia- JSC Partnership Fund (PF) is a state- ment. he Partnership Fund of owned investment fund established in “In most cases, the dismissal of the Georgia is to invest 2011. public servants was not grounded and $4,500.000 in order to The fund is assigned Fitch rating "BB", the ministries and self-governing towns expand the hotel complex which is equal to the sovereign ceiling had different approaches to the reduc- at Lopota Lake, Kakheti of Georgia. PF was created on the basis tion of budgetary funds and reorganiza- Tregion. of consolidating ownership of the larg- tion,” Natsvlishvili claimed. The Partnership Fund and LLC Lopota est Georgian state-owned enterprises The GYLA also says that civil servants The opposition parties also believe BY THEA MORRISON Investment signed the relevant agree- operating in transportation, energy and were dismissed from only fi ve ministries. that the government should submit ment on Wednesday. infrastructure sectors. The numbers of dismissed people from a report to Parliament. The expansion of the existing hotel at The main objective of the Partnership the state agencies is as follows: “They have to deliver a report to the Lopota Lake envisages the creation of an Fund is to promote investment in Geor- total of 2300 civil servants Ministry of Defense - 2250 people MPs according to the Constitution. The additional 85 hotel rooms, an administra- gia by providing co-fi nancing in projects have been fi red from Geor- Ministry of Internally Displaced Per- fact that this has not happened yet means tive building, a 300-seat conference hall, at their initial stage of development. gian Ministries following sons and Refugees – 20 people that informal governing has been estab- chateau, restaurant, cafe-bar, fi tness club, Head of Partnership Fund, Davit Saga- the reorganization process Infrastructure Ministry – 17 people lished,” member of the United National and closed and outdoor swimming pools. nelidze, said the Lopota project was of initiated by the Prime Min- Ministry of Culture - 11 people Movement, Nika Rurua, said. The signing ceremony was attended utmost importance. Aister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, on Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 2 people. Another opposition party, Movement by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi “We are very proud to participate in a December 9, 2016, which envisaged The total compensation paid to the for Freedom-European Georgia, believes Kvirikashvili. The PM walked through project which serves the development reduction of expenses by 10 percent and dismissed employees amounted to that the optimization process was not the territory and expressed hope that of Lopota Lake,” he said. optimization in the ministries. 5,322.300 GEL. transparent. following the enlargement, the place The Partnership Fund has already The numbers were released by non- However, this is not the full picture of “People who had no patrons were fi red would attract even more tourists and established a joint venture with Lopota governmental organization Georgian dismissed staff members, as a number from the ministries,” Irma Nadirashvili visitors. Investment LLC, named Lopota LLC. Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), of ministries refused to send informa- from European Georgia stressed. "Soon, we will have a completely new, Construction works will be carried out which presented the results of their sur- tion about the reorganization to the Prime Minister Kvirikashvili says the much bigger and more sophisticated by CIC, while the construction will be vey based on the information of 12 min- GYLA. Government of Georgia carried out opti- tourist destination – Lopota. It is an supervised by Colliers. istries. The GYLA added that fi ve self-govern- mization only when and where it was investment by the State and I expect it Several dozen people are to be employed The survey shows that as a result of ing cities, Kutaisi, Batumi, , Ozur- necessary. He does not agree with the to be a very successful project. The during construction works and the open- the reorganization process, the total geti and Poti, reduced budget expendi- assessments of the GYLA. development of this complex is the merit ing of the hotel is scheduled for the end amount of budgetary expenditure tures by 3,630.000 GEL. The fi nancing “What I can say is that I think this is a of a private business, with the State of 2018. decreased by GEL 55,344.000. of IPs was reduced by 1,220.000 GEL and biased assessment," Kvirikashvili said. Russia & Turkey: Removing Trade Barriers in Exchange for Tourist Safety

on the import of tomatoes. “The trade Turkish resorts. He cited data according BY DIMITRI DOLABERIDZE barrier will be removed after Russian to which in the May holidays a third of producers pay off all investments,” Russians holidaying abroad were choos- Putin promised. ing Turkey. ussian President Vladimir He stressed that it was possible to stop “The special services of Russia are Putin announced that he the fall of mutual trade, which, he said, ready to provide all assistance to their and his Turkish counter- had shown a slight increase in turnover Turkish colleagues in these matters,” part Recep Tayyip (3%) in early 2017. Putin said. “However, Russia will not Erdogan, during the nego- Another important topic, according yet remove restrictions on visa-free Rtiations in Sochi, agreed to remove all to the president, was the issue of ensur- travel for the Turks, in connection with trade restrictions except for the ban ing the safety of domestic tourists at the growing terrorist threat”. GEORGIA TODAY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 NEWS 3 Ambassadorial Forum Concludes American Days in Georgia

Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. The open- increased security cooperation, we must BY MAKA LOMADZE ing ceremony was attended by former create closer economic ties between US Ambassadors to Georgia, Richard our two countries." Kvirikashvili then Miles, Kenneth Yalowitz, William Court- thanked the US Ambassadors to Geor- n April 22-29, the Ameri- ney, members of the Georgian govern- gia who had worked in Georgia at dif- can Days were held in ment and parliament, representatives ferent times over the past 25 years, for Georgia. The rich program of international organizations, and the their immense contribution to stronger of events that took place US Embassy staff. Georgia-US relations. in the capital, as well as President Margvelashvili pointed to “It is a pleasure and an honor to be inO the towns of Kutaisi, Batumi, Telavi the fact that and Americans here today. I met with a lot of friends and Zugdidi, was capped with an ambas- are united by common values, such as of mine whom I worked with in that sadorial forum on the fi nal day in the freedom, independence and the right historic period. Georgia has strength- former building of the US Embassy to to freedom of choice. He underscored ened and developed. I am glad to see Georgia on Atoneli Street, Tbilisi. the merit of those Georgian and Amer- that democratic institutions have been The "In Pursuit of Happiness" forum ican soldiers who fi ght together to ensure strengthened. Georgia and the US have was inaugurated by Ambassador Ian global security, and honored the mem- a strong partnership based on mutual Kelly. “This month we are celebrating ory of those who sacrifi ced themselves values,” said Ambassador Kenneth the 25th anniversary of US-Georgia dip- for this important goal. “We have taken Yalowitz who, like Richard Miles and lomatic relations: enduring friendship further steps in integrating Georgia into William Courtney, came to Georgia based on the sharing of mutual values, the European and Euro-Atlantic family. specially for this day. including freedom of speech, justice and Without doubt the help of our Ameri- Tedo Japaridze, current Advisor to the respect for universal human rights. We can friends and allies is very important Georgian Prime Minister in Foreign are thankful for Georgia’s generous con- on this path. We achieved a signifi cant clearly see that the idea that Russia and offering the audience a brief over- Relations Issues, served as the fi rst tribution to advancing international victory on the international arena when could be somehow tolerated in this view of the country's achievements over ambassador to the US and Canada in peace and security, for Georgian soldiers’ we, together with our American allies respect was mistaken,” he said. the past 25 years. “In terms of our world- 1994-2002. “We, the representatives of selfl ess service and sacrifi ce. The United and friends, set our non-recognition PM Kvirikashvili spoke of the strategic view and overall foreign policy, we see the fi rst generation of Georgian diplo- States government whole-heartedly sup- policy against the aggression of Russia. role of the US in Georgia's political and ourselves as a modern, Western nation. mats, have always said that if Georgia ports Georgia’s aspiration to become a There is no country that questions economic life, highlighting that the US We have deep and robust relations with has survived, it is thanks to the aid of member of the Euro-Atlantic family. We Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial has stood by Georgia's side since it the US, European Union and NATO and the US government. This is to the merit are committed to the Charter of Strate- integrity,” the President claimed. regained independence. “Many friends aim to join those two organizations," of the USA that Georgia today is an gic Partnership between our two coun- He went on to recognize that there is and allies helped us get to where we the Prime Minister said. “Georgia is not independent country,” he said. tries to ensure that Georgia develops much more to do in this regard. “We are, but fi rstly the United States. We only willing to serve as a corridor and Over the past 25 years, the US has into a prosperous and democratic coun- have to be unifi ed when it comes to the feel this debt keenly, and we are com- a transport and energy hub in our most given fi nancial assistance worth $4 bil- try for the benefi t of its people”. protection of our common goals and mitted to repaying our part of this bar- complex region but we are also com- lion to Georgia. The speech of the current fi rst US values. Clearly, Russia’s aggressive for- gain to preserve the values we share," mitted to being a stronghold of the US, The American Days 2017 was con- diplomat to Georgia was followed by eign policy toward its neighbors has he said, going on to describe in detail its reliable partner, and a staunch cluded with a concert featuring Amer- speeches delivered by Georgian Presi- shown that Georgia’s case was not the US assistance that has played such defender of our shared political, trade, ican movie soundtracks at the Jansugh dent Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime unique and after Ukraine and Syria, we a vital role in Georgia's development, and security interests. In addition to Kakhidze Music Center. GEORGIA TODAY 4 POLITICS MAY 5 - 8, 2017 To Be or Not to Be: Shakespearean Passions & the New Constitutional Project

restricting the rights of the President and increas- OP-ED BY ZAZA JGARKAVA ing that of the Parliament and Prime Minister. This is the fourth time Georgian Dream (GD) has initiated constitutional changes, thus keeping per- o be or not to be is becoming the leit- fectly in line with the tradition formed in independ- motif of the constitutional changes in ent Georgia. Every new government aims to adjust Georgian politics. According to the the main legislation to its own political ambitions politicians, apart from Shakespearean and GD is no exception in this regard. “A new con- passions, the new constitutional pro- stitutional project has been presented to the parlia- Tject triggers other earthly ones, too: plagiarism, for ment for evaluation whose creation will cost Geor- example, with members of the former governmen- gia 40,000 GEL, while the expenditure of the former tal party, now in the European Democrats party, commission amounted to 360,000 GEL. Almost all accusing the majority of having stolen the suggested articles of the constitution have been rethought, and electoral system of the new constitutional project 80-85 percent of the changes are based on recom- from Italian fascists and their leader Benito Mus- mendations from experts, NGOs and various con- solini. stitutional organs. As for the procedures that the Generally speaking, Georgian constitutionalism project should pass through – parliamentary discus- ing the last elections,” Kapanadze wrote. “The elect the president themselves. “I call for the active is in fact accompanied by both Shakespearian and sions will begin in June. According to existing reg- problem exists in regards to the election of the President of Georgia to resign, as this will result fascist passions. For example, on August 29, 1995, ulations, two hearings will be held in that month President as well. According to the new initiative, in early presidential elections in two months’ time. when the country was about to adopt its fi rst con- and during the next session, presumably in October, Parliament will choose the president instead of the The constitutional project says that right after the stitution following the collapse of the , the fi nal legislation of constitutional changes will people. Additionally, political parties will be banned Oath of the President in 2018, the right to elect the its main creator and the head of the country, Eduard be adopted with the third hearing,” he said. from creating electoral blocks, not to mention a president will be revoked from the people”. Shevardnadze, barely survived an assassination Member of the Movement for Freedom-European decrease in the number of self-governing cities in The President’s Administration and opposition attempt. Some eight years later the United National Georgia, Sergi Kapanadze, compares the new elec- the country”. have yet to respond to Natelashvili’s suggestion. Movement (UNM) turned Shevardnadze’s consti- toral system to that of the Italian fascist Benito The opposition has already done its homework However, rumor has spread that Margvelashvili’s tution completely upside down. In 2012, on May Mussolini, the so-called Acerbo Law. regarding how to burst Georgian Dream’s bubble. circle is considering it, so that the elections of both 25, the UNM constitutional majority further reformed “GD’s initiative suggests that the party in fi rst Leader of the Labor Party Shalva Natelashvili is the president and the self-government will be held the existing document and made changes of his- place will take the votes of all those parties which calling on President Margvelashvili to resign, say- together and, in this case, Margvelashvili will torical signifi cance to it. For example, by naming were unable to overcome the 5 percent barrier. ing that if decisive steps are not taken now, the become the presidential candidate of the non- Kutaisi as the parliamentary capital of the country, Notably, about 20 percent of votes were lost dur- Georgian people will be deprived of their right to parliamentary oppositional spectrum. Left to the Bear? Georgia in the World of a Le Pen Victory sia in this case. Of course, for Georgia it'll be bad INTERVIEW BY VAZHA TAVBERIDZE because obviously she will have an anti-NATO agenda and will want to reverse the relationship with the USA, at least to counterbalance it with ith the second tour of the French Russia. So, Georgia will be left to Russia. If the presidential elections keeping Russian bear wants to eat Georgia, she wouldn’t all of Europe on its collective move to stop it. toes, we in Georgia are wonder- ing just one thing (well, two SHE MAY ALSO DECLARE THAT Wthings, frankly: one involves Mr. Macron’s wife and ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA ARE isn’t discussed in this article): IF, however big that INDEPENDENT STATES OR BELONG TO if might be, Madame Le Pen becomes the next RUSSIA, AS SHE SAID ABOUT CRIMEA… president of , what impact will it have on IS THERE A DANGER THAT FRANCE Georgia? And this is what we spoke about with Mr. MIGHT RECOGNIZE OUR BREAKAWAY Regist Gente, resident correspondent of Le Figaro TERRITORIES IF LE PEN WINS? in Georgia, in a joint interview for Panorama TV I don’t think anybody is raising this question at the show and GEORGIA TODAY. moment because it is too far and too small, I'd say. What's more pressing is the issue of Crimea when THE FRENCH ELECTIONS ARE WIDELY she said, “Crimea always belonged to Russia”. It's TOUTED AS A ZERO-SUM GAME FOR simply not true! EUROPE. THAT IF, FOR EXAMPLE, LE PEN WINS, THAT WILL BE THE END OF IN JUNE, FRANCE WILL HAVE EUROPE. IS IT REALLY THIS SERIOUS? PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS Le Pen winning is still unlikely, as she is not the Yes, and if Le Pen has a majority, things will get favorite. But if she does, it will result in a big crisis ugly. You may win the power but the Ministry of in France. The majority of French society remem- Foreign Affairs has its own rules, its own agenda. bers the history of her party, which is connected to And can one person can change that? It happened our fascist history. It’s not enough to say you're a with Mr Trump – he had some ideas but he had to patriot to be a patriot. The history of the founders change a lot. Behind you is a party, there is the of this party, these patriots, were collaborating with opposition, the MFA, the MoD, secret services, the enemy, the Germans in the second world war. business community and a lot of other people [to If Le Pen comes, she says she’ll announce a refer- consider]. endum to ask people if they want to be in or out of Europe. In that case, I think that French people will AND EMMANUEL MACRON? THE vote to leave the EU. But we're still very far from DARLING OF THE CENTRISTS AND A that - leaving Europe and the Euro would be very SEEMING FAVORITE- A GUY WITH diffi cult and very costly and she 'll have forces against NO REAL PARTY BACKGROUND her, businesses who do not want to leave. She’ll have AND WHO WAS NEVER PART OF to compromise with them. For example, in the US A POLITICAL SYSTEM ALTHOUGH we saw that Mr Trump came along with big ideas HE HELD A MINISTERIAL POST but after three months gave a lot of them up. Macron is still the favorite candidate. His idea is that right and left does not mean anything anymore. IF LE PEN WERE TO WIN, WHAT WOULD And let’s go beyond the parties. He has huge sup- CHANGE FOR GEORGIA, CONSIDERING port. Even from the President, as well as from the HER TIES WITH RUSSIA AND HER LAST most important ministers which support not social- CHUMMY MEETING WITH PUTIN? ists but social-democrats. So, he’s well poised to You’re right to mention her meeting with Mr Putin. win, but then again, I’d be loath to predict anything It says a lot about our independence towards Rus- with the race being so close. GEORGIA TODAY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 BUSINESS 5 TBC BANK to Receive $100 million Credit Line from EBRD & EU

fi nancing to help the development of the BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI private sector. A further equivalent of up to $20 million will be allocated for the support of businesses owned or man- he European Bank for aged by female entrepreneurs. TBC says Reconstruction and Devel- that these funds will be lent to private opment (EBRD) has sector clients by the Bank. At the same extended a loan of $100 time, a contribution of EUR 19 million million (equivalent in Geor- (50 million GEL) from the EU is to serve Tgian Lari) to TBC Bank for the support for the provision of technical assistance, of local SMEs, TBC announced on Tues- investment grants and training to part- day at a press conference held at TBC ner fi nancial institutions, enhancing the Bank’s head offi ce in Tbilisi. ability of local banks to accept the risks The signing was attended by TBC related to SME lending. Bank’s CEO, Vakhtang Butskhrikidze; “It’s an extremely important day for Badri Japaridze, Vice-Chairman of the TBC Bank,” said Vakhtang Butskhrikidze. Supervisory Board of TBC Bank; Bruno “For the last 25 years, support of small Balvanera, EBRD Director for the Cau- and medium size businesses has been casus, Moldova and Belarus; and Janos our strategic direction. It’s also crucial Herman, Ambassador of the European because the assigned fi nancial resources Union to Georgia. will be in Lari- as SMEs revenues are EBRD and the European Union are mainly in Lari, loans provided in Lari expanding their joint program with TBC have fewer risks. Alongside fi nancial ing a credit line with TBC Bank. We’re important it is to support the moderni- He added that of $100 million, $60 mil- Bank with the aim of supporting Geor- assistance, TBC Bank has also done con- confi dent that it will be a very effi cient zation and competitiveness of SMEs,” lion will go towards the modernization gian small and medium sized enterprises siderable work in supporting SMEs tool in the hands of Georgian companies said Bruno Balvanera. “Within the Asso- of the companies. Via TBC Bank, EBRD (SMEs) to adopt EU standards, which through more than 5000 seminars organ- to raise competitiveness. The EU has ciation Agreement and the DCFTA will be able to offer over fi ve years of will make them more competitive on ized in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi during already made available EUR 19 million Georgia signed with EU are a number fi nancing in Lari at a competitive rate, international markets and allow them recent years on marketing, fi nances, new in grants. This will be used for technical of obligations for SMEs to improve qual- plus a grant of 10 to 15% of the invest- to take advantage of greater benefi ts technologies and more. We hope that assistance- investment incentives that ity in order not only to access the Euro- ment cost, depending on the type of from the Deep and Comprehensive Free 2017 will be a very successful year for we share”. pean market, but also for production for investment. Trade Area Agreement (DCFTA) between both TBC Bank and SMEs, as we have The EU4Business credit line is part of the local market. In order to be able to “We’re signing an agreement with Georgia and the EU. more novelties to offer to our clients in the European Union EU4Business ini- reach the European market, Georgian which we’re receiving GEL 240 million The offered package will be divided. the second quarter of the year”. tiative aimed at supporting SMEs in companies need to have good quality fi nancial resources- the largest we’ve In the equivalent of local currency, up “Georgia is the fi rst country to take countries like Georgia, helping them products at a competitive price. SMEs ever received. We’ve been closely coop- to $60 million will be allocated to assist advantage of this program,” said Janos take full advantage of the open market in Georgia will have signifi cant pressure erating with EBRD all through these businesses to comply with existing EU Herman, noting that SME development opportunities the DCFTA offers. to modernize their own companies and years, and we’ll ensure that our clients standards and take advantage of the is a vital factor for employment oppor- “We all know how important SMEs are this is why the EU has offered a grant to will fully benefi t from this collabora- DCFTA. An additional equivalent of up tunities and economic growth. “We are for the economy of the country and, in partially fi nance the modernization of tion,” said Badri Japaridze, prior to sign- to $20 million will be used for SME very happy to see that the EBRD is open- particular, in the case of Georgia; how said companies.” ing the agreement. GEORGIA TODAY 6 SOCIETY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 CoE Know-How on Child (& Smart Kids - Winners of Early) Marriages: Education, Education, Education! Millenium Innovations Continued from page 1 standards are such that early and forced marriages are really not acceptable. And indeed, according THE GENERAL AUDIENCE IN GEORGIA to the Istanbul Convention, forced marriage is a Award Visit NASA NEEDS SOME EUROPEAN KNOW- crime. It’s clearly wrong to make somebody go HOW, AS THESE BELIEFS ARE DEEPLY through changes of civil status, become husband ROOTED IN SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY or wife, when they do not want to do so. Parents IN MUSLIM ETHNIC MINORITIES have to realize that. I understand that. It’s a problem not only in Geor- gia, of course. But the Istanbul Convention prevents IMAGINE TWO 17 YEAR OLDS. BOTH forced marriages, and, in particular, refers to child THEIR PARENTS AND SOCIETY WELCOME marriages. Because these are young people who THEIR MARRIAGE. THEY ALSO WANT TO often marry under pressure from families, parents LIVE TOGETHER AND BE MARRIED. IS IT or from their communities. They are not necessar- SOMETHING WE NEED TO OVERCOME? ily brought to the altar with a gun to their heads, I don’t think it should necessarily be prohibited if but nevertheless they feel a certain amount of pres- the two people involved are truly willing and truly sure. And these are children. And we must not ready to be married. And the way to deal with that forget that marriage is not just a contract, it’s actu- in a number of countries where children are under- ally a legal change of status. And it also means that age and are willing to be married is to get the con- the people involved, the girls and boys getting sent to that marriage of a judge who can take the married, will likely drop out of school. This then facts into consideration. You know there are some becomes a problem because subsequently they are 17 year olds that are very mature and there are deprived of economic independence. Thus, the some 17 year olds who are immature and cannot whole cycle of early marriage and then being stuck make such a decision. in that situation is perpetuated from one genera- tion to another. This is one of the reasons why the WHAT ROLE CAN THE CHURCH PLAY? drafters of the Istanbul Convention said that the THE MAJORITY OF EARLY AND CHILD issue of forced marriage was very important but MARRIAGES ARE BLESSED BY CHURCH also, as I said, child marriage. In the same way that MEMBERS. TIME FOR A CHANGE? a child cannot be considered able to give consent Well, I think so, yes. But let’s not forget that many to sexual activity, one should question very much churches are very patriarchal and mostly run by whether the child is able to freely give his/her men in power who are happy to see these practices consent to marriage. continue. There is a gender factor in all these ques- tions. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO DISCOURAGE The winners this week at NASA (USA) population in certain areas of any possible land- PEOPLE FROM FOLLOWING WHAT THEY WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI BELIEVE IS A RESPECTED TRADITION, 'GENDER FACTOR'? slide threats, in advance. The data is sent to a WHILE AVOIDING CONFLICT? What I'm saying is that the gender element in vio- central server and to registered people within This is obviously a very diffi cult and sensitive issue. lence against women is not a question of violence the territory at risk, thus giving them enough The Istanbul Convention works on the basis of against a certain group of people: it’s violence against he fi rst prize winners of the Mille- time to evacuate,” Gvantsa Chikovani, one of the what we call the “four pillars” – prevention, pro- women because they are women. It’s a form of dis- nium Innovations Award, a team of team members, explained at a gathering in Geo- tection, prosecution and coordinated policies. And crimination against women; it’s a violation of their 8th graders called Smart Kids from cell Hub Vake last Saturday prior to their depar- in this area the most important work really to be human rights and this is the founding principle of the Zugdidi Alexi Shushania public ture to US. done is prevention and awareness-raising: raising the entire Istanbul Convention. And, therefore, school- Natia Shamatava, Dea Chi- “Georgia is considered a high-risk area for land- awareness among these communities of the dam- included in that is forced marriage. It is not neces- taia,T Aleksi Tkebuchava, Lika Kokaia and Gvantsa slides,” said another team member, Lika Kokaia. age they could do to children who are involved and sarily saying that two people getting married at the Chiqovani- have been sent on an educational pro- “Samegrelo is regarded geologically as one of the of the fact that it would be more worthwhile for age of 17 is forced marriage, and in most countries gram at the Space Center University: NASA, in most dangerous parts of the country. A fl ood the communities, and for the wellbeing of their when such is requested it is not forbidden, but it is Houston, US. They are the fi rst Georgians to par- severely damaged the road to our school in Senaki children, that said children be well developed and recognized that a third party is needed who can ticipate in the program. in 2016, and that was when we decided to make a fully educated. I think we have to educate the whole judge whether or not consent has been freely given. The goal of the Millenium Innovations Award device that could notify in advance about the community. It comes down to education, educa- And as regards the Church, the only thing I can sug- is to inspire youth to be interested in new tech- potential threats.” tion, education - the education of children and the gest is still more education and awareness raising. nologies. First held in 2015, the competition is “Devices preventing landslides are usually expen- education of parents and their families. It's a question of talking to people, it’s a question of supported by the US Embassy to Georgia, with sive and infl exible- often not adapted to a concrete dialogue, of explaining why this might not be a good Geocell joining its supporters from 2016. landscape,” said Smart Kids member Natia Shamat- EDUCATING PARENTS MIGHT BE AN idea; it's a question of remembering that it effects The Smart Kids’s Geological Threats project, ava. “Specifi c areas of our country need specifi c ISSUE. WHAT IF THEY DON’T WANT the economic empowerment of both boys and girls. which led to the team of fi ve to win the Millenium confi gurations. Construction and production of THAT EDUCATION, BEING SO STUCK If a couple gets married at 17 and immediately starts Innovations Award early this year, is an early- a fl exible notifi cation system in Georgia would be IN THEIR DEEP TRADITIONS? having a family, it reduces their possibilities of earn- warning system for areas at risk from potential much cheaper and at the same time would give That’s where awareness campaigning, publicity, ing a living. I think it’s very clear that early marriage landslides. us a chance to cover all the critical areas in the media, can get message out there that European can be a problem in a number of cases. “Our project makes it possible to notify the country.” In the Smart Kids invention, magnets are placed on the ground with censors placed several mil- limetres ahead and connected to a microprocessor which sends information to a central server on potential threats, through a GSM module. The information can be received via mobile applica- tion, which enables monitoring of the vibration in the ground. As soon as a set limit of vibration is noted, the mobile application sends SMS noti- fi cations to the registered population in the area. As the Smart Kids team members pointed out, their invention is cheap, adaptable to any geo- graphical relief, is stable, provides accurate infor- mation and can be produced in Georgia. The second prize of the Millenium Innovation Award this year went to two teams: ‘Borjgaloroveri,’ presenting the project Engine for the Moon Rover and the team ‘17’ with the project Magnetic Eleva- tor. Members of the Borjgaloroveri team are stu- dents Giorgi Margiani and Giorgi Nioradze from New Lyceum Aia GESS, while team 17 is made up of Giorgi Pkhakadze, Oleg Jachvliani and Nino Khetsuriani from Kutaisi N17 Public School. The third prize went to brothers Kosta and Giorgi Butbaias from Komarov Public School 199, and School-Lyceum Mtsignobartukhutsesi, for their Smart Parking project. “We would like to thank Geocell for their sup- port, for making these children’s dreams come true and for keeping them motivated,” said the mother of one of the Smart Kids members. Anna Berdzenadze, a Ministry of Internal Affairs Program Coordinator who is accompanying the winners to the US, announced that the Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency is providing a 5000 GEL grant to the teams who won fi rst, sec- ond and third places for development of their projects, while the Georgian Oil and Gas Corpo- ration will work with the teams, assisting them in research in order to produce high quality proto- types.

GEORGIA TODAY 8 SOCIETY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 Head of Tbilisi Camp Day: Kindergarten Management Becho, Svaneti Agency on Kindergarten Reforms

agreement with Ilia State University which INTERVIEW BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI WHAT WOULD YOU HIGHLIGHT AS THE MOST ensures the re-training of the teachers, psy- IMPORTANT CHANGE? chologists and speech therapists already Infrastructure is our strongest achieve- working in the system. Overall, 400 employ- he Tbilisi Kindergarten Man- ment and I will not tire you with more ees will have higher qualifi cations. As a part agement Agency aims to details. Another important change is the of this project, a special manual will be cre- create a comfortable, healthy nutrition reform we’ve initialized, follow- ated for the psychologists, speech therapists and friendly environment for ing which the products and meals in kin- and specialized teachers employed within the youngest citizens to live dergartens are maximally controlled, with the sphere. It is a very important novelty Tand be raised in. The agency works in a menu answering particular standards that has never been done before in Georgian multiple directions and has an essential and calorie requirements. We’re also kindergartens. responsibility, from maintaining existing extremely proud that while building new infrastructure to establishing new infra- kindergartens and re-opening the groups WHY DO YOU THINK THESE structure, from improving and renewing that were previously closed, in the last MEASURES WERE NECESSARY? educational programs to ensuring the high three years we created 1600 new work- Assisting a child’s intellectual and physical standards of sanitary, hygiene and nutri- places. The hygiene and sanitation stand- development is one of the primary func- tion norms are met. ards have been improved, toilets renovated, tions of a kindergarten. Psychologists and The Agency unites 166 Tbilisi kinder- and new standards for cleaning have been speech therapists play a key role in that gartens. It monitors and controls the work set with the usage of high quality desin- process, as we often encounter behavioral of each kindergarten teacher and its tech- fection products now a must. The kitchen problems or problems related to speaking nical staff and it works on methodology renovations are especially impressive- ability. The goal of the kindergarten is to and various projects aimed at improving they’ve been equipped with new inventory solve these problems if possible at an early the legislative base. in compliance with international standards. age and the role of psychologists and ther- “We’re the closest to kindergartens and Thanks to these renovations, people work- apists is very important in this. It was our we know fi rst-hand what the legislation ing in the kitchen block have better work- responsibility to create an environment in ing as many smaller words as possible system is facing today. The fact that kin- ing conditions. The rehabilitation of build- the kindergartens where children with BY TONY HANMER from “Mediterranean”, and so on. dergartens are free and accessible to eve- ings, care of yards, and provision of sports special needs can be integrated into the My main co-teacher, Manana, also had ryone is crucial,” says Temur Tordinava, equipment are also very important changes. educational process. I would say we achieved a couple of her best pupils imitate a for- Head of Tbilisi Kindergarten Management Some 90% of kindergartens lacked these that and, compared to last year’s results, he dates all changed. A eigner asking a local for tourism details Agency. very things not so long ago. the number of children with special needs weekend training session of Becho, and being given a good run- in kindergartens has doubled. This means for Georgian teachers down of the place, the main lodestone HOW WOULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE that families with children with special would happen in Tskhaltubo, of which is undoubtedly that towering CHARACTERIZE THE NUTRITION REFORM needs trust us, and this is an excellent result near Kutaisi: the weekend mountain presence, Ushba: that view SITUATION IN TBILISI In order to improve child nutrition in kin- showing how well the inclusive education Twe had chosen for the Becho children’s pulls them in like a magnet! KINDERGARTENS TODAY? dergartens, a single menu was created for system is working. camp in the schoolyard. And (as I wrote The best thing said about the whole TEMUR: We have made a lot of ambitious all of them and the food ration became last week) I was to be away with my wife day was by more than one parent, who reforms- too many to mention here. In more diverse. An agreement was signed HOW ADAPTED ARE on the days chosen at the last minute to claimed that in living memory no such order to get an idea what the situation with an experienced and trustworthy com- KINDERGARTENS FOR CHILDREN replace those unavailable ones: her aunt amazing event had taken place in Becho. looks like in Tbilisi kindergartens today, pany which has ISO and HACCP certifi - WITH SPECIAL NEEDS? had died near Chiatura and we must go It had been hoped to stretch over two we have to understand what it was like cates, meaning that for the fi rst time ever, The adaptation of 35 kindergartens for to the funeral. So regretfully I bowed days, not just one, but the second day three years ago. The situation we inherited Tbilisi Kindergartens have nutrition plans children with special needs was carried out, promising that if someone would was one of torrential rain, followed, yes, was diffi cult, with 50 kindergartens closed, in accordance with international standards. out in 2016, 34 more will be adapted this take photos, I could at least interview by about eight inches of snow on the others with outdated interior and outdoor The same company is in charge of the pro- year, 20 kindergartens had simple adapta- people about the event upon returning. weekend, so that put a full stop to that. infrastructure, many severely damaged fessional re-training of personnel working tion and seven of the new kindergartens We are encouraged to come up with Quit while you’re ahead, and give eve- and urgently in need of repair. The major- in the kitchen blocks. We also have product are also adapted as written into the pro- special projects as part of our teaching; ryone a fi ne memory of how it went, ity of kindergartens had no fences, so child control on the highest level. The National jects from the start. All future new kinder- the camp was the brainchild of one of with possibilities for more in the future. safety was a serious issue. The heating Food Agency is also engaged in the process gartens will be adapted as standard. the more active teachers, and it began And indeed, this is the intent: We’re systems didn’t work and the kindergarten and our monitoring service controls food some time prior with the Shabatoba (or considering a fi ve-day camp in the sum- yards needed repair works, too. Our fi rst quality on a daily basis. I can say that today WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU Subbotnik in Russian, i.e. not really vol- mer holidays, with hopefully some fun- step was to fi nd additional spaces in kin- we have an ideal situation with regards to ENCOUNTERED AND HOW untary work day) of which I have also draising via outside sources- a real dergartens; adding and opening new groups nutrition in our city’s kindergartens. HAVE YOU OVERCOME THEM? already written. The paper pennants on extravaganza! With this as its success- for children so that 5500 additional chil- Naturally, there still are challenges. Re- their strings festooning Svaneti’s best fully tested starting point, we can only dren could be registered over three years. TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT training teachers and ensuring they receive schoolyard survived a bit of rain, and expand. There is much more time to Simultaneously, we started building new OF SPEECH THERAPISTS higher qualifi cations is one of the biggest. the newly arranged day turned out sunny prepare, too, to evaluate and improve kindergartens, which hadn’t happened in AND PSYCHOLOGISTS IN Works are ongoing for the infrastructure and fi ne. Pupils, with some adults’ help, things. Make it an annual thing? Why Tbilisi since the 1980s. Seven kindergar- THE KINDERGARTENS improvement of kindergartens. Although had erected three sets of benches and not? tens were built in different districts of This is yet another ambitious and important the infrastructure is better compared to tables, one per team. Teams had names, Tbilisi, 10 more are currently underway, project of ours, which has brought enormous previous years, many things have yet to changed several times before settling on Tony Hanmer has lived in Georgia since with fi ve of those to be opened in Septem- results to the children with special needs be done. We’re trying to overcome those suitably thematically competitive ones. 1999, in Svaneti since 2007, and been a ber. These will take in 2000 children and and their families. The services of such diffi culties step by step. In some kinder- I suggested several traditional English weekly writer for GT since early 2011. He provide employment for 350 individuals. therapists and teachers are quite expensive gartens the groups are rather big and we picnic events, such as a sack race and runs the “Svaneti Renaissance” Facebook In addition, we’re going to start building not only in Georgia, but in other countries, need to continue building new kindergar- three-legged race, as well as a water bal- group, now with over 1350 members, at eight more kindergartens this year. The too, yet we’re offering it free of charge. What tens in the coming years. Finally, according loon toss with gradually increasing dis- www.facebook.com/groups/SvanetiRenais- development of Tbilisi kindergartens was is most important here is that in order to to the law on early and preschool educa- tances to add to the tension; and a few sance/ one of the key parts of Tbilisi Mayor Davit assist a child in its development, any prob- tion, before October 1, 2017, technical language-based competitions, too. These He and his wife also run their own guest house Narmania’s election program and it’s 100% lems are identifi ed and handled from a very regulations will be set, and ensuring those included putting the jumbled up words in Etseri: fulfi lled. It’s the political will and an impor- early age; accordingly, the therapy is much regulation requirements are fully met will of a sentence in the correct order, mak- www.facebook.com/hanmer.house.svaneti tant decision from the new government. more effective. We have already signed an be our main challenge.

Tel: (995 32) 2 45 08 08 10 Galaktion Street E-mail: [email protected] GEORGIA TODAY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 SOCIETY 9 Putting the Reforms into Practice: Meet a Kindergarten Director

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

ollowing an informative inter- view with Temur Tordinava, Head of the Tbilisi Kindergar- ten Management Agency [see page 8] we decided to check outF a case in point and, after a number of recommendations, chose kindergarten No.162 in Okrokhana, a village on the mount above Tbilisi, there meeting its director, Nino Tsiklauri. The kindergarten is set in the center of a typical Georgian village, with cows trundling past the gate twice a day, and is surrounded by pine trees and an expan- sive yard with fl owers planted by the young attendees themselves. The chil- dren all wear smiles and appear alert and energetic. No shouting can be heard from the teachers or other staff, who know all the children by name, and the air is one of peace and warmth. Last year, a number of restoration works took place there within the reform program of the Tbilisi Kindergarten Management Agency (TKMA)- the entrance, admin- istration offi ce, one nursery classroom and dormitory, the bathrooms, kitchen and the second-fl oor assembly hall were totally renovated. This was, Nino told us, the fi rst facelift they’d had since the kindergarten opened in 1986. The staff of 27 at the kindergarten in Okrokhana cares for 115 children in four classes of maximum 35 children, each group supported by two teachers. The All funds raised will be donated to the children were very excited to meet him,” kindergarten mainly serves local chil- Solidarity Fund and its benefi ciaries. Nino says. dren, however, some parents even bring “Two weeks ago, well-known artist and “We want to get the children out of the their offspring from Tbilisi and nearby children’s entertainer Zaal Sulakauri routine. Kindergarten is not just about villages. (Zaliko) came up to the Okrokhana kin- feeding and caring for children several Prior to starting her job as a kinder- dergarten to help us choose the best hours a day, teaching them poems, songs garten director in 2015, Nino Tsiklauri works,” Nino says. “The children were and dances: we want to give them more was the director of public school number very excited to see him on their ‘home and to help them be prepared for school. 214. As a pre-school education special- territory’ and to take some small draw- The school readiness program initiated ist, Nino says she was always worried ing lessons with him”. under the aegis of UNICEF is a huge about the fact that children entering Kindergarten 162 makes it a mission to support for us in this,” Nino emphasizes. school were often completely unpre- engage its children in various educational Inclusive education is another key point pared. She notes that one of the reforms and social awareness-raising activities, of the recent reform and, thanks to TKMA, that has proven most successful so far from projects about caring for the planet, psychologists, teachers for children with is the school readiness program, through learning how books are made and attend- special needs and speech therapists are which children aged fi ve and six are ing theater performances at the Tbilisi now available in all Tbilisi kindergartens. given the skills and general knowledge Nodar Dumbadze Youth Theater, to One of the major problems Nino high- necessary to enter the fi rst grade of litter-picking in a small area of the Mtast- lighted during our interview is the lack school at the age of six. Another major minda forest and planting fl owers in the of human resources and the need for breakthrough Nino points out is the kindergarten yard. retraining. nutrition reform in kindergartens which “We’re trying to teach them from a very “I’m extremely grateful to my staff: sees the company ‘Elfi ’ now responsible early age that they should take care of they work with so much dedication and for providing the highest quality food to and love their country,” Nino says. “When energy… and yet innovation is still needed. kindergarten children and who was also choosing a certain theme, we fi rst talk Creating a comfortable environment and charged with re-training kindergarten with our methodist to work out the best providing a good nutritional program kitchen personnel in terms of interna- way to explore it with the children. One for a child is very important, but it’s not tional best practice and hygiene [see of the projects within the school readi- enough if there’s no content and no-one page 8]. ness projects considers exploring the is there to guide and develop the child “Thanks to the enormous efforts of the topic of books, and so we took our chil- in the right way. Re-training is crucial TKMA and Tbilisi Municipality, public dren to Bakur Sulakauri publishing house and more is needed,” she says. kindergartens in Tbilisi can now com- to see the whole process from designing We asked her to visualize her ideal pete with private ones- not only with to printing. The children got to see behind kindergarten. “My mission and goal is regards nutrition and the educational the scenes and to take away some free to have an educated, skilled and healthy process, but in so many other positive books with an added level of inspiration young generation. The educational pro- ways,” Nino says. to learn to read them”. cess has to be practical as well as theo- She tells us about the newly established “We think that love for books is retical, as it’s through practical lessons exhibition-festival of children’s drawings extremely important and we’re always that children learn best. I have a healthy ‘With little Hands’ organized by TKMA trying to interest them in reading,” Nino ambition to make this kindergarten suc- and held in all Tbilisi kindergartens. The says, adding that they’re also encourag- cessful and progressive. We still have teachers present the best artworks of ing children to be technologically savvy, many plans for the future and we always their children for a fi nal exhibition-auc- too, recounting how a group of a children feel the support of TKMA and Tbilisi tion to be held publicly on June 3 on the went to GAU university to see robot Municipality, and I would like to truly New Aghmashenebeli pedestrian street. Piperoni, who speaks 19 languages: “The thank them for that.” GEORGIA TODAY 10 CULTURE MAY 5 - 8, 2017

WHAT’S ON IN TBILISI THEATER May 6 his recent work in progress- May 6 Curated by Tina Schelhorn SCARLET SAIL directional, thought-provoking THE FUTURE IS OURS Opening: 20:00 Alexander Grin video concept, a capsule collection Curated by Teona Gogichaishvili & Address: Z. Tsereteli Museum of GABRIADZE THEATER Directed by Avtandil Varsimashvili that demonstrates his unorthodox, Inga Schneider; Address: 13 Shavtelis Str. Modern Art, Language: Russian singular mastery of a modern, EXODUS – PEOPLE IN FLIGHT Telephone: 2 98 65 93 27 Rustaveli Ave. Start time: 12:00 artisanal fashion production. Nikos Pilos; Ticket: 10 GEL UNDAUNTED May 11 May 5 GALLERY MARSHAL DE FANTIE’S Four Women in Kabul, Their CELEBRATION DIAMOND TBILISI VASO ABASHIDZE Struggle & Curated by Giorgi Kakabadze Rezo Gabriadze MUSIC AND DRAMA STATE THE NATIONAL GALLERY Their Dreams Opening: 18:00 Directed by Rezo Gabriadze THEATER Address: 11 Rustaveli Ave. Lela Ahmadzai Address: National Archives of English Subtitles Address: 182 D.Agmashenebeli Ave. www.museum.ge Opening: 18:00 Georgia, 1 Vazha-Pshavela Ave. Start time: 20:00 Telephone: 2 34 80 90 Address: I. Grishashvili Tbilisi Ticket: 10, 15, 20 GEL www.musictheatre.ge GEORGIAN PAINTERS History Museum DIVERSE LAND PERMANENT EXHIBITION Media platform Chai Khana May 6, 7, 9 May 5 May 7 Opening: 20:00 STALINGRAD THREE SISTERS May 4 – June 2 SECRET LIFE OF TREES Address: I. Grishashvili Tbilisi Rezo Gabriadze A. Chekhov EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO Nata Sopromadze History Museum Directed by Rezo Gabriadze Choreography: Kote Purtseladze 100th ANNIVERSARY OF ROBERT Opening: 15:00 English Subtitles Choreographical drama STURUA. Address: Home Gallery, FABRIKA Start time: 20:00 Start time: 19:00 The exhibition showcases paintings 13 Betlemi Str. Address: 8 Ninoshvili Str. Ticket: From 8 GEL Ticket: 10, 15, 20 GEL created by Robert Sturua- portraits, IRAN, AN OPEN PORTFOLIO landscapes, religious paintings and May 2-13 May 11 May 6 Curated by Ali Akbar Shirjian; more. Project ArtBeat presents AUTUMN OF MY SPRING MIDSUMMER NIGHT DREAM BURIED REFLECTIONS IN SILO LADO POCHKHUA Rezo Gabriadze William Shakespeare Francesco Merlini, Samuele May 5 – June 7 THE BOOK FOR THE NEW Directed by Rezo Gabriadze Directed by Davit Doiashvili Pellecchia, Devin Yalkin and Igor ARISTOCRACY English Subtitles Musical EXHIBITION Posner; Start time: 20:00 Start time: 19:00 BACH EXERCISES Manaba MUSIC Ticket: 10, 15, 20 GEL Ticket: From 8 GEL BY LEVAN LAGIDZE Curated by Lika Mamatsashvili Artworks by Levan Lagidze created Opening: 18:00 TBILISI CONCERT HALL MOVEMENT THEATER in 2016-2017: "At the crossroad of May 7 Address: I. Grishashvili Tbilisi Address: 1 Melikishvili St. Address: 182, Aghmashenebeli Ave., different epochs, the necessity to DIVORCE History Museum Telephone: 2 99 00 99 Mushthaid park Giorgi Eristavi verify the universal measurement Telephone: 599 555 260 Directed by Davit Doiashvili and intercultural vision of art has May 8 May 9 Musical Comedy PURITY become evident.” NIAZ DIASAMIDZE & 33A May 5, 7 Start time: 19:00 David Magnusson 20TH ANNIVERSARY LABYRINTH Ticket: From 8 GEL Opening: 18:00 May 5 –24 Start time: 20:00 Directed by Kakha Bakuradze GROUP EXHIBITION Address: TBC Art Gallery, Start time: 20:00 Ticket: 25-40 GEL GEORGIAN STATE THE LIBRARY OF COLORS 7 Marjanishvili Str. Ticket: 15 GEL PANTOMIME THEATER The exhibition showcases paintings May 11 Address: 37 Rustaveli Ave. A POLAROID FOR A REFUGEE May 6, 7 by Georgian and Armenian artists ILIKO SUKHISHVILI 110TH Telephone: 2 99 63 14 - Gia Gugushvili (Rector of Tbilisi Giovanna Del Sarto Cement Zone Opening: 20:00 ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Directed by Kakha Bakuradze State Academy of Arts) and Aram Start time: 20:00 May 5, 6 Isabekyan (Rector of Yerevan State Address: Gallery Fotografi a, Start time: 20:00 SAINT GEORGE 21 Revaz Tabukashvili Str. Ticket: 40-50 GEL Ticket: 15 GEL Academy of Arts), as well as young Directed by Amiran Shalikashvili artists - Mariam Gugushvili and Start time: 20:00 May 9 TBILISI EVENT HALL May 11 Arthur Hovhannisyan Ticket: 12 GEL BREAKING THE ICE Address: 1 Melikishvili St. THE TEMPEST Professional Networking Platform Telephone: 2 99 00 99 William Shakespeare KOLGA TBILISI PHOTO 2013 MUSEUM MyAngle Directed by Ioseb Bakuradze www.kolga.ge May 5 Start time: 20:00 Opening: 20:00 MOMA TBILISI Address: Art Area Gallery, IRAKLI FIRTSKHALAVA Ticket: 15 GEL May 5 Address: 27 Rustaveli Ave. 10 D. Abashidze Str. Start time: 20:00 Telephone: 2 98 60 30 KOLGA AWARD 2017 Ticket: 30 GEL GRIBOEDOVI THEATER EXHIBITION Address: 2 Rustaveli Ave. BROKEN FLOWERS FROM Opening: 20:00 May 6 Telephone: 2 93 43 36 May 4-8 THE SERIES LES SENTIMENTS Chubika’s Exhibition PERDUS DAVID SHANI May 5, 6 I START SEEING AND HEARING… COMPLETE THE PAINTING Horst Kistner SOLO CONCERT ALGERIA Team: Tezi Gabunia, Dato Tsanava, Opening: 18:00 Start time: 20:00 Premiere May 6-8 Otto Shengelia, Gvantsa Gabunia, Address: Art Palace, Ticket: 10-30 GEL Directed by Avtandil Varsimashvili Simon Machabeli’s exhibition Dato Koroshinadze 6 Kargareteli Str. Language: Russian ILLUSION OF THE SACRAMENT Opening: 20:00 TBILISI STATE Start time: 18:00 (017TIFLIS) Address: Art-space at the hippodrome FAUNA- WILD BEASTS, SHEEP & CONSERVATOIRE Ticket: 10 GEL Simon Machabeli presents park, 13 Tamarashvili Str. CROCODILES Address: 8 Griboedov St. Telephone: 2 93 46 24

May 6 SYMPHONY & CHOIR MUSIC CONCERT J.ROSSINI - STABAT MATER VANO SARAJISHVILI TBILISI STATE CONSERVATOIRE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 5-15 GEL

May 7 ELISABETH LEONSKAJA (PIANO) Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 5-15 GEL

May 10 DAVID & NODAR ANDGHULADZE STUDIO CONCERT Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 5-15 GEL

May 11 100 YEARS OF GEORGIAN MUSIC Concert – Marathon Choir & Chamber-Instrumental Music Start time: 19:00 Ticket: 5-15 GEL

FABRIKA Address: 8 Ninoshvili Str.

May 6 REGGAE NIGHT WITH G-RAS Start time: 21:00 Ticket: 15 GEL GEORGIA TODAY MAY 5 - 8, 2017 CULTURE 11 Georgian Railway Professional Trade Union Holds Congress

BY THEA MORRISON

he Georgian Railway Trade Union held the XIV reporting and election congress in Tbilisi. A total of 145 del- egates participated in the congress. The delegates chose Zurab Nasaraia Tas the chairmen of the Georgian RailwayTrade Union, and board members were also elected. Lost Legends The participants also approved the 2017-2021 Action Plan and discussed the union's future plans. tions with General , in April 1945, The report of activities carried out by the Control- OP-ED BY NUGZAR B. RUHADZE landing safely back in Tbilisi airport. Revision Commission and the Board of the Union General Secretary of the European Transport Fed- This is the story that triggered the idea of shoot- was presented, and representatives of the French eration and Secretary General of the International ing the much-awaited feature fi lm about Ekvtime Railway Trade Union UNSA, the Chairs of the Confederation of Railways and Railway Transport, he night before last, I routinely opened Takaishvili, fi nancially supported by director Kho- Railway Unions of Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, which further increases the legitimacy of the con- my inbox and behold what I found masuridze himself, about 5,000 Georgian patriots Kazakhstan, Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia gress. Benoit Vienne, General Secretary of the there: the trailer of a 120-minute Geor- and several patriotically-minded companies. With attended the congress as special guests. European Transport Federation, addressed the gian feature fi lm in-the-making about the help of their contributions, 105 minutes of the Additionally, the meeting was attended by the congress participants. the legendary Ekvtime Takaishvili – fi lm have been shot, but 15 minutes of the fi lm still Tthe nation’s pride and conscience, a man of God, remain to be done. The process has been ongoing as the title of the movie described him apprecia- since 19 May 2015, and, of course, it will not stop tively. The delightful mail was from the young until the job is complete. I was fascinated by the Georgian director, producer and script-writer, excerpts I was sent and can’t wait to see the entire graduate of The Los Angeles Film School, Nikoloz movie on the big screens of Georgia and the rest Khomasuridze, who, in 2014, founded a company of the world. called LOST LEGENDS, aimed at bringing back to The creative team was recently in France to shoot life the most outstanding Georgian historical sto- scenes in and Leuville. The fi nal footage will ries and heroic characters. be completed on May 26 in Tbilisi, refl ecting the One of Georgia’s most reliable and honest peda- arrival of Ekvtime Takaishvili and the Georgian gogues, historian, and archaeologist Ekvtime Takai- treasury with him. As a matter of fact, never in the shvili was among the founders of Tbilisi State history of independent movie-making has a his- University. Yet fate would have it that he found torical feature fi lm of this caliber been shot exclu- himself in France in 1921 following the elimination sively with the help of popular fund-raising and of Georgia’s fragile independence by the newly without the involvement of any state organization. established soviet power. He took with him the In addition to its art value and tremendously Georgian national treasury – numerous valuable enticing plot, the fi lm about a dedicated and self- and highly-prized pieces of Georgian art and other sacrifi cing patriot and his amazing love story will samples of our national material heritage. Attempts serve as an example for the generations to come to purchase parts of the treasury were made by in this country and beyond. We will see wonderful certain renowned European museums, and not actor Rezo Chkhikvishvili in the role of the great only: even crooks and thieves were interested in Ekvtime, playing masterfully and with utmost sin- getting their paws on the Georgian artifacts. Some cerity in a high-class performance. Keep your eyes offered huge sums for the exhibits, some threatened open for the fi nale on www.EKVTI.me and www. to kill him, but Ekvtime would never succumb to fb.com/ekvtimefi lm. temptation or fear, and it occurred to that great This country and its people are eager to see the Georgian not once to sell even a single piece of the shooting of this fi lm fi nalized. It is our people’s precious collection, notwithstanding his suffering product and property, as is the Georgian Treasure extreme economic hardship throughout his 24-year itself, saved and preserved by Georgia’s own Saint exile. Ekvtime Takaishvili. His wonderful wife and real comrade-in-arms, Nino Poltoratskaya, patiently and valiantly stood If you want to donate to the fi lm-making cause, here are by her husband in the unendurable fi ght to preserv- the details (for payments in USD): TBC Bank Head Offi ce ing, intact, the most valuable national property. / SWIFTCODE - TBCBGE22 / # GE66 TB70 6673 Thanks to this eminent Georgian gentleman, the 6020 1000 04 / Receiver - LOST LEGENDS LLC / national treasury was fi nally brought home, also Address #35 Gazapkhuli str. Tbilisi 0177 Sakartvelo in many ways thanks to 's good rela- (Georgia)

PUBLISHER & GM Journalists: Website Manager: ADDRESS Reproducing material, photos George Sharashidze Tony Hanmer, Zaza Jgarkava, Tamzin Whitewood 1 Melikishvili Str. and advertisements without Maka Bibilashvili, Website Copy-Editor: Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia prior editorial permission is COMMERCIAL Dimitri Dolaberidze, Gabrielle Guerrier strictly forbidden. DEPARTMENT Maka Lomadze, Tel.: +995 32 229 59 19 The author is responsible for Layout: Commercial Director: Tim Ogden, Joseph Larsen, E: [email protected] all material. Rights of authors Misha Mchedlishvili Iva Merabishvili Vazha Tavberidze, F: GeorgiaToday are preserved. The newspaper Marketing Manager: Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Webmaster: is registered in Mtatsminda Mariam Giorgadze Nino Gugunishvili, Sergey Gevenov ADVERTISING & district court. Thea Morrison SUBSCRIPTION EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT: Circulation Managers: +995 579 25 22 25 GEORGIA TODAY Editor-In-Chief: Photographer: David Kerdikashvili, E-mail: marketing@ Reg. # 06/4-309 Katie Ruth Davies Irakli Dolidze David Djandjgava georgiatoday.ge GEORGIA TODAY 12 CULTURE MAY 5 - 8, 2017 New Translations of Knight in the Panther’s Skin: English, German, Chechen & Arabic have a translation with quatrains of whole beauty of ‘Knight in the Panther’s BY MAKA LOMADZE 16-syllable lines, just as it is in the orig- Skin’ in the original language. I can tell inal. To date, we have had four other you that it also sounds very good in translations. The fi rst ever, and most Chechen. I’m very glad that Chechen n May 2, at the Exhibition famous English translation of the poem, translations are always close to the orig- Hall of the Central Library belongs to Marjory Wardrop. Yet all were inal texts. Muzaev, the translator, used of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbi- translations in prose. This is the fi rst both the Russian and Georgian texts and, lisi State University (TSU), time we have it in poetry. As [one of the with the help of Georgians and Kists the presentation of the most distinguished] Kartvelologists (Chechens living in Georgia), the 16-syl- translationsO into four languages of the noted, Lin Coffi n has been able to achieve lable line system has been preserved in most precious Georgian book of all times, something that seemed impossible. From translation. Knight in the Panther’s Skin Shota Rustaveli’s ‘Knight in the Panther’s now on, English readers, who are numer- was published for the fi rst time in Chechen Skin’ took place. ous, will be able to see both the beauty in 1969. I know for sure that several cop- 2016 was declared the year of Shota as well as the wisdom of our greatest ies survived destruction in private col- Rustaveli by UNESCO and has so far poem. This year, we also published the lections, and I’m glad that now we have turned out to be very fruitful, with the Georgian-English aphorisms from Knight 5,000 new copies”. list of numerous translations added to in the Panther’s Skin, based on this trans- The history of translations of Knight with new English, German, Arabic and lation, which can also be seen in the in the Panther’s Skin began in 1802. After Chechen versions. Copies of each were Library.” the Russian version, it was translated gifted to the library. The German translation, managed by into many languages including those of “Since its establishment, the Tbilisi Rusudan Mosidze, is the second one in the post-soviet countries, as well as State University has been researching this language since 1955, when the fi rst French, German, English, Spanish, Ital- Knight in the Panther’s Skin and it was German translation was published. The ian, Chinese, Japanese, Arabian, Jewish, here that Rustvelology as a branch of former was published in Vienna. Hindi, and more. The most ancient philology was formed,” said Zurab Gaipar- Chechen translations also existed printed version of Knight in the Panther’s ashvili, Director of the Library. before, but were destroyed. The latest Skin is in Georgian and dates back to Mikheil Chkhenkeli, pro-rector of TSU, main monument of Georgian literature. of the Publishing House ‘Poetry,’ which translation was presented by Meka 1712. A copy is preserved in the TSU congratulated the librarians on the Inter- I would like to thank the translators and published the latest English translation Khangoshvili, Representative of the library. The exhibition hall is currently national Day of Librarians celebrated on publishers for this.” of Knight in the Panther’s Skin in 2015. Chechen Diaspora to Georgia, who is showcasing copies of the foreign editions April 30. “It is a very important day for “Lin Coffi n is the American poetess “It won the main literary award of Geor- also the Counselor to the State Minister of the poem which are stored in this us. Other nations will be able to get and translator who made this transla- gia [Saba] for best translation. This book on Reintegration Issues. “I’m very proud library, waiting for you to come and acquainted or reacquainted with the tion,” said Nato Alkhazishvili, Director is unique because it is the fi rst time we that I was given a chance to feel the enjoy!