TALK "EDUARD SHEVARDNADZE, PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA"

May, 2015

SPEAKER:  DR JOSEPH DUNTHORN

Dr Dunthorn has already spoken to the BTA with a compelling talk about Joseph  Stalin.   In  this  talk  he  will  map  out  the  career  of  Eduard Shevardnaze  in  the  Soviet  Union  but  give  particular  emphasis  to  the troubled period as  Georgian Head of State between 1992 and 2003 in which three attempts were made on his life and which ended with the Rose Revolution.

TICKETS ON THE DOOR: £5 including a glass of wine

LOCATION: Units 1 & 2 Freeling House, Prewittt Street, Bristol, BS16RE

President Eduard Shevardnadze of Georgia photographed during his meeting with Secretary of Defense William Cohen at The Pentagon

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Talk "The Photography of Dmitri Ermakov"

April 2015

by Alix Hughes and Stephen Thomas

The Bristol Tbilisi Association organised an evening talk about Dmitri Ivanovich Ermakov an early 19th Century, the photographer known for his series of Caucasian photographs. BTA vice-chairman Stephen Thomas was leading the talk, which is supported by a slide show. 

Dmitri  Ermakov  was  born  in  Tbilisi  in  1846.  His  passion  was  for ethnographic photography and for depicting the lives of ordinary people in Georgia and other parts of the region. He visited remote parts of the Caucasus and was the first to take photographs.  Some of his most vivid photographs show life in Tbilisi at the turn of the last century and it is these that will be focused on in the talk.  Ermakkov’s images of Tbilisi will be contrasted with contemporary photographs.

Entry to the event included a glass of Georgian Wine and Khachapuri.

LOCATION: Units 1 & 2 Freeling House, Prewitt Street, Bristol, BS16RE

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2015 BTA Supra

February 2015

by Derek Pickup and Nina Bendukidze

On Friday 13th February the BTA held a Georgian Supra in The Kitchen Cafe, Silver Street, Bristol BS1 2AG, in the heart of Bristol.  Please click here to see how the invitation looked.  It was a ticket only event. The Banquet or Supra was attended by over sixty people who feasted on genuine Georgian cuisine.

The Guests of honour were the Councillor Alastair Watson The Lord Mayor of Bristol and Lady Mayoress of Bristol and His Excellency the Georgian Ambassador Professor Revaz Gachechiladze and his wife. The guests were entertained by the superb The Bristol Georgian Choir who recently performed for the Prime Minister of Georgia in the capital city of Tbilisi.  This was an extraordinary evening which showcased the wonderful traditions of Georgian Hospitality and Goodwill.  True Georgian fashion the Tamada or Toast Master proposed a series of traditional toasts which were celebrated with Georgian wines.  Georgia as the earliest producer of wine has an uninterrupted tradition of wine making stretching back over 8,000 years.

The atmosphere of the evening was brilliant. Do you recognise people who were wearing the Georgian national dress? 

  

 

  

The Bristol Tbilisi Association’s Trade Mission to Tbilisi

October 2014

by Alix Hughes

The Bristol Tbilisi Association’s Trade Mission to Tbilisi , led by the Lord mayor Councillor Alastair Watson, has returned home inspired and motivated to increase economic development with partners in Tbilisi. The British Embassy’s Commercial Attache Data Parulava, Tbilisi City Council’s International Relations officer Nino Beglarishvili and Tbilisi Bristol chair and local businessman Kakha Jorjoliani arranged a series of business meetings with the Georgian Chamber of Commerce plus three high profile Embassy contacts including the CEO of the biggest mobile phone company in Georgia. Participants had one to one sessions arranged with counterpart businesses as well as general visits to relevant contacts such as the Economic Policy committee at the Georgian Parliament, the Judiciary department, Tbilisi City Council and Tbilisi State University.

Formal dinners had been arranged and guests included the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Mayor of Tbilisi plus government Ministers and City Council elected members.

At every meal the Bristol Georgian choir sang in Georgian and this had a huge impact on those Georgians present as well as the Embassy staff. The Prime Minister even abandoned his departure to listen. Bristol musician Andy Sheppard and his trio took the Tbilisi Jazz Festival by storm resulting in 2,300 people giving them a standing ovation. Unlike all the other stars on the bill, Andy attempted a few words of Georgian which immediately won over the crowd. British Ambassador Alexandra Hall-Hall who drives around Tbilisi in a mini painted in the colours of the Union Jack, played a very important role in our visit: generating press and media coverage on a daily basis, speaking and toasting very positively at the meetings and meals as well as enjoying and commenting on the friendliness and informality of the Bristol delegation. At the reception at the British Embassy with 100 invited guests, we were able to present five Lord Mayor’s medals to key individuals who have supported our work, including one to the British Ambassador who accepted it on behalf of all her predecessors as well as herself.

During the lavish banquet at the Funiculare restaurant which overlooked the city as fireworks explodes as part of the Tbilsoba wine harvest festival, the Mayor of Tbilisi presented BTA chairman Derek Pickup with the first ever Guardian of the City of Tbilisi Medal. The Mayor spoke for several minutes about Derek’s unpaid commitment to the twinning over the past 18 years and the participating delegations from other twin cities and from the British, US and Israeli embassies rose to applaud Derek’s devotion to international friendship. The delegation agreed with Derek that really he couldn’t have done it all without his wife Esther’s support and hard work and that the medal belongs to both of them. All in all a memorable, inspiring and rewarding trip

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Georgian President and Georgian Ambassador to the UK are welcomed in Bristol by the BTA members

September 2014

by Derek Pickup and Alix Hugh

President Giorgi Margvelashviliof the Republic of Georgia (left) arrived late last night at Bristol airport leading a top level delegation for the NATO summit in Cardiff. Georgia is on track to become a NATO member and the President will be reinforcing Georgia's capability to be a full member.
The Presidents private plane had come from Tbilisi, the Georgian capital which is also Bristol's twin city, and taxied to a special high security terminal at the airport. Surrounded by officials from the Foreign Office, NATO and his team of officials, President Margvelashvili was welcomed by Alix Hughes from the twinnings association and Bristol Tbilisi Association chairman Derek Pickup with members of the BTA executive and representatives of the local Georgian community.  The President informed the Bristol group that he had brought with him the new Georgian Ambassador to the UK, Professor Revaz Gachechiladze, whose papers he had signed on the flight and that his arrival day in Bristol was his first day in office! (right)

Derek Pickup said " The Georgian Embassy had asked us to welcome the President and we were able to present him with a book about Bristol and mention our Trade Mission to Georgia planned for October. We also offered to show his entourage around Bristol as they will be based just outside the city in a confidential location. It is important to have the Bristol Tbilisi link recognised at the highest levels in Georgia as this opens doors for our companies and our cultural projects"

Photos

1. President Margvelashvili arriving at the NATO high security terminal

2. Ambassador Gachechiladze (glasses) meeting Bristol Tbilisi Association chair Derek Pickup and Alix Hughes, BITA co-ordinator.

3. Georgian Ambassador Prof Revaz Gachechiladze starts his first day in the post in Bristol with Derek Pickup

4. Lunch with Derek Pickup and John Hirst - Chief Executive of the Destination Bristol

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The Business Breakfast in Bristol

On behalf of the BTA, Alix Hughes organised a Doing Business with Georgia breakfast event for local companies at Goldbrick House on 31st July 2014. The event featured keynote speakers from the British Georgian Chamber of Commerce and the Georgian Embassy in London. The business breakfast was attended by full with representation from different businesses across the city. The The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Alastair Watson welcomed everybody to the breakfast and thanked them for coming.  Presentations were made by the Georgian Embassy regarding the business climate in Georgia and its importance as the gateway to the Caucasus region.

The MD from the British Georgian Chamber of Commerce Mako Abashidze spoke about the opportunities for British business and the importance of the new trade agreement with the European Union which was signed in June. She highlighted how important finding the right partners is to a successful business venture and that her network of members across a range of sectors would offer Bristol companies the best place to start. With over ten years experience in the field of both inward investment and export partnerships the BGCC can help local companies find their feet in a fast growing market.

Ms Nino Kharadze from the Georgian Embassy outlined how Georgia was now open for business and in the top ten countries worldwide making it easier for companies to invest in their country.

Colin Gorrie spoke about the importance of sharing cultures and spoke about the exchange of Jazz artists between bristol and Tbilisi.

Derek Pickup from the BTA rounded off the meeting by highlighting the recent economic report published in the Guardian about now being the time for British business to make the most of the opportunities in Georgia. He explained the key elements to the BTA’s planned Trade Mission to Tbilisi in the autumn and encouraged more local companies to take up the offer.   http://www.theguardian.com/the-report/georgia

The business delegation will be flying to Tbilisi for three days in October for a packed three day programme. The event was a sell-out and inspired several follow up requests for more information and details about the Trade Mission.

Photos:

1. A full house at the Business Breakfast at Goldbrick house, Bristol, at 31st July 2014

2. Mako Abashidze, MD of the British Georgian chamber of Commerce  talking about business opportunities in Georgia for British Companies

3. Nino Kharadze who is a counsellor at the Georgian Embassy, Mako Abashidze and The Lord Mayor at the business breakfast

4. Alix Hughes is talking about the importance of working with our twinned cities.

5. Colin Gorrie with a bottle of Georgian red wine - Saperavi (Marani).

6. BTA chairman Derek Pickup rounded off the meeting by highlighting the recent economic report published in the Guardian.

7. BTA members at the Business Breakfast.

8. Cllr Alastair Watson The Lord Mayor, Cllr Geoff Gollup deputy Mayor and Stephen Hilton head of economic development for Bristol city council at the Business Breakfast

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GEORGIA TALK FULL HOUSE

June 2014

Over twenty BTA members and friends attended the Georgia talk this week. Onnik Krikorian who has been covering the Caucasus region for a range of press and media outlets for over 20 years, gave a fascinating overview of some of the current political issues affecting Georgia and made telling comparisons with neighbours Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ben Hudson spoke of his volunteering experiences with internally displaced people in the Zugdidi region near the Abkhazia border. And Steve Strong told us of his teaching and learning with Georgia programme in a school in Zugdidi. Both these volunteering programmes are looking for new volunteers. Thanks to our three speakers, especially Ben who got up early to speak on BCFM Radio, and to BTA Sec Esther for making the delicious Imeruli Khachapuri!

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BTA Gift for Bristol Central Library

April 2014

by Alix Hugh

Derek Pickup , chairman of the BTA, and Alix Hughes BITA co-ordinator present copies of the Girl King by Meg Clothier and the Bristol Tbilisi twinning history to Kate Murray head of Libraries and Robert Harrison deputy head of the central library.

The books will be available in both the twin cities reference section and in the lending library.

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