Made in Georgia

Issue2

Guria: Georgia’s Wild West Dedaenis Dghe: Georgia Celebrates its Mother Tongue

May/2021

CONTENTS WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR GEORGIAN - BRITISH TRADE CULTURE

GEORGIANS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED THE WESTERN WORLD

3

4

8

17

FASHION

20

FOOD & WINE

28

BUSINESS

38

EXPLORE GEORGIA

41

ACCESSORIES

25

SPORT 32 THIS MONTH’S GUEST BLOGGER

39

WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the second edition of Made in Georgia magazine! What a month it’s been, too. In the UK, lockdown restrictions have continued to be relaxed, meaning people are finally able to meet up with their loved ones for a good old British pint (albeit in a pub garden). Georgia marked dedaenis dghe (the day of the mother tongue) on 14th of April - celebrating its uniquely beautiful language. The Georgian language was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, and is something every Georgian is extremely proud of.

This issue proudly has the region of Guria, in Western Georgia, as its feature. With its black, sandy beaches that are known to have magnetic properties and spectacular mountainous terrain, Guria is not only stunningly beautiful, but steeped in more history than you may have realised. Make sure you check out our article on this fabulous region at the end of the issue!

As we move forward into our second issue, we hope that you, as our readers, are able to see the potential that both Georgia and the UK hold in terms of trade, and the fantastic opportunities Georgia has as a travel destination. These were two of the fundamental reasons that we created the magazine in the first place, and we are incredibly proud of this project. Happy reading!

Tamzin Whitewood Editor-in-Chief

GEORGIAN - BRITISH TRADE GEORGIA AS A TRANSIT HUB AND ITS MEANING FOR THE UK For the UK, Georgia might be a small market, but this can be substantiated by the country’s location. Georgia has historically been at the edge of both empires and entire continents – Asia and Europe. This has been both an asset and a hindrance to the development of the country. A hindrance because it attracted foreign invaders, and an asset because Georgia’s location allowed the country to position itself as a major transit hub between Europe and Central Asia.

Since 1991, a new Silk Road initiative has been emerging gradually around the borders of Georgia. In fact, a closer look at historical sources from the ancient, medieval or even 15th-19th century history of Georgia shows an unchanged pattern of major trade routes running to the south, west, east and north of Georgia. These routes were usually connected to the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Russian hinterland. Only rarely did the routes include parts of Georgia and, when it did, it lasted for a short period of time as geography precluded transit through Georgia: the Caucasus Mountains and seas constrained movement, while general geographic knowledge remained limited for centuries.

After the break-up of the Soviet Union, Georgia returned to its position as a major route between the Black and Caspian seas, and between Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Major roads, pipelines and railway

lines run through Georgian territory. What’s more, major work is being done to expand and build existing and new Georgian ports on the Black Sea, with the potential to transform Georgia into a sea trade hub.

A good example of Georgia’s rising position on the Silk Road is the major bi-annual event, The Silk Road Forum, held in Tbilisi since 2015. The hosting of the event underscores how Georgia has recently upped its historical role as a regional hub connecting Europe and Asia. On the map, it is in fact the shortest route between China and Europe, which could in turn make the country an increasingly attractive destination for foreign investment. Indeed, the regional context also helps Tbilisi to position itself, as Georgia has Free Trade Agreements with Turkey, the CIS countries, the EFTA and China and a DCFTA Issue2 / May 2021 / 4

with the European Union. These are some of the advantages which can be used by UK businesses in their quest to reach the farflung regions of Central Asia and the Middle East.

Another asset for the UK is the newly built Baku–Tbilisi–Kars (BTK) railway, which was opened in 2017 by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Erdogan, as well as then-Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, at a ceremony to launch the railway which stretches from the Caspian Sea port of Alat, to the city of Kars in eastern Turkey.

This set the scene for improved connections not only in the South Caucasus, but also for the landlocked Central Asian states. The project opens a rail corridor potentially connecting Central Asia with European markets through the South Caucasus.

And Central Asia matters. For the UK to reach the region, Georgia and its infrastructure is pivotal. What is crucial here is that the shortest route to ship freight to Europe from Central Asia is across the Caspian to Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Black Sea. Steady growth of shipments from China will further boost the fragile South Caucasus transport and energy corridor, which struggles to compete with the enormous trade routes which run through Russia and elsewhere.

An improvement of infrastructure is also taking place along the rest of the South Caucasus corridor. The Georgian government granted the APM Terminals permission to start the expansion of Poti port. Essentially the project, which will provide more than

1000 local jobs, involves the construction of a separate new deep-water multifunctional port.

The expansion of Poti will have regional implications. The port already enjoys the role of the largest gateway in the country, and acts as a major outlet for Azerbaijan and Armenia’s trade with Europe. For instance, liquids, passenger ferries, dry bulk materials and container traffic go through Poti. Moreover, Poti port also serves as an alternative route for export from Central Asia to the Black Sea and elsewhere.

Similar developments are taking place in Batumi. In 2019, Wondernet Express, Trammo and the government of Georgia announced plans to build a new terminal with a total investment cap of 17.5 million euros. More importantly, the new facility will store up to tens of thousands of tons of mineral fertilisers coming from Central Asia through Azerbaijan.

Overall, these connectivity trends will reinvigorate Trans-Caspian shipping. There is more to the story. Europe and Turkey share an identical position. All parties are interested in breaking Russia’s grip on gas export routes from Central Asia. Support for the east-west corridor across the South Caucasus has been present since the breakup of the Soviet Union, but rarely have there been such promising trends as there are now: steadily increasing China-Europe shipping; Chinese Belt and Road Initiative’s expansion into Central Asia; and gradually improving rail-road and ports infrastructure in Georgia and Azerbaijan.

By Emil Avdaliani

GEORGIAN DISTRIBUTORS BUSINESS ASSOCIATION: INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT IVA CHKONIA Over the years, the distribution business sector has become an integral part of Georgia’s economic development and state economic policy. Within the context of globalisation and Georgia’s Westernisation in particular, it is entities like the Georgian Distributors Business Association (GDBA) that act as the key to opening international doors for Georgia. Iva Chkonia, who has been with the Association since its founding in 2016, in an interview with Made in Georgia Magazine, talks about the GDBA, its significance, challenges and successes, and British-Georgian ties.

Tell us the history of the establishment of the Georgian Distributors Business Association.

Distribution business is one of the important components of Georgia’s economic development and state economic policy. In order to respond to the challenges of modern distribution business and to solve the current problems in the field, the Georgian Distributors Business Association was established in 2016, and its main goals and objectives are: ●

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Development and promotion of distribution business as a sector and in Georgia; Sharing international experience on the local market;

Preparing proposals and recommendations for legislative and executive authorities to promote the distribution business environment;

Conducting seminars and training to increase qualifications of employees;

Maintaining a register of unscrupulous entrepreneurial entities and providing information to the members of the Association;

Together, with the support of international organisations and the state, the Association aims to take the necessary effective steps to develop a common policy that will facilitate the development of distribution business as a sector.

How does an entity join the Distributors Business Association? How many members does it consist of and what are the benefits associated with being a GDBA association member?

The Distributors Association unites more than 80 small, medium and large businesses on the market. The vast majority of member companies

of the Association represent world brands on the Georgian market and provide high quality products to customers. Members also include local manufacturing companies that distribute / export outside of the Georgian local market.

Membership of the Association is based on an application submitted by the company, followed by a face-to-face meeting and discussion on future collaboration. The Association provides its members with important information for the business sector on a daily basis. GDBA helps companies establish and expand business relationships, both locally and internationally. GDBA, with the support of international partners, actively advocates for issues important to the distribution business to be resolved.

How long have you worked for GDBA and what do you think has changed / improved during this time?

I have been leading the Distributors Business Association since its foundation, so I can confidently and sincerely say that the distribution business has undergone a great transformation during this time. Business culture was introduced, trade relations were improved, the partnership network was expanded and international cooperation was strengthened.

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The Association and its members were actively involved in the legislative review process. Meetings organised by GDBA made it possible to share experiences, as well as discuss common challenges, identify ways to solve them and develop a unified action plan. With the mutual cooperation of the Association and the Parliament of Georgia, the Competition Agency and other state structures, it became possible to implement a number of important changes for distributor companies.

For a long time, companies had a hard time sourcing qualified staff. Because of this, the Association decided to engage in a vocational education program and, together with experts in this field, develop an educational program that would provide the distribution sector with qualified professionals. The program has successfully completed several vocational training courses, and successful graduates have been employed by member companies of the Association.

After several years of tireless work, today the distribution business holds an important position on the Georgian market. However, with development comes challenges. The main challenge in the field of distribution is its relationship with the retail sector. GDBA is actively working with international donor organisations - as well as overseas and local partners - on this issue, and we hope to soon be able to establish a business environment based on healthy competition and good practice between distribution and manufacturing companies.

what are the statistics of organisations that import to Georgia and the Georgian companies that export their products?

At this stage, the majority of Association members (90%) import to Georgia. Only a small part (approximately 10%) is engaged in exporting its own products from the country. Finding new markets and trading partners certainly encourages an increase of exports.

How important is the existence of such an association in Georgia, or in general, for the economic climate?

The existence of business associations is vital, both for the development of a particular business sector and for the country’s economy in general. Developed countries show that business associations play a major role in their economic development. The importance and necessity of associations was especially evident in the context of the COVID Pandemic, when business entities suffered the greatest economic damage, moreover, many of them were in danger of bankruptcy.

What are the challenges facing the sector due to the pandemic and how do you deal

with them?

The pandemic turned out to be a big test for the distribution business. The distribution business is largely linked to the field of tourism. A significant number of companies use foreign, imported raw materials for their products. Accordingly, due to reduced tourism, distribution companies had to use their financial reserves as much as possible in order to keep the production and supply of products going.

Due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic, the entire Georgian population was at risk of shortages of basic products. It was the Association that played a crucial role in ensuring timely, safe and uninterrupted delivery of products throughout Georgia.

The state of emergency highlighted the role of the Association as the most competent entity in ensuring the continuity of business activities.

In addition, the Distributors Association has been actively advocating its own initiatives to government representatives, in order to minimise the expected economic damage. Some of them were considered as part of the state anti-crisis plan, which alleviated the current situation to some extent.

Despite great efforts, the global pandemic has hit the world hard and caused an economic crisis.

Georgia is no exception in this regard. Therefore, cooperation between the business sector and the government is crucial.

In your opinion and experience, what is the business connection between Georgia and the United Kingdom? How did the establishment of the British-Georgian trade hub affect the business relationship between the two countries?

For Georgian businesses as well as for the economy as a whole, it is important to diversify trade and business partnerships, and accordingly, to find additional markets and strengthen existing relationships. The British-Georgian trade hub is a new project, which makes it difficult to talk about the results at this stage. The Georgian Distributors Business Association welcomes any kind of trade partnership with the UK, which has emerged as an individual market since Brexit. We actively support both local producers who want to export their products to the British market, as well as British companies interested in the Georgian market, in order to connect business entities and establish trade relations.

Interview by Nini Dakhundaridze

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CULTURE - THE MOTHER TONGUE If I had a pound for every time someone speaks to me in Russian, after telling them I am Georgian, I would be a millionaire. And of course, I smile back, appreciating the friendliness and good heart they mean it with, but only after correcting and informing them that Georgians speak Georgian, and it is different from every other language they have ever heard.

Having spent most of my adult life away from my birthplace, I have assimilated to the world. As a cosmopolitan believing in the equality and richness of all languages and cultures, I know that I am saying this not because I am Georgian, but because it really is true – my mother tongue, Kartuli (Georgian), is unique. I am immensely proud of it and will keep telling its story to my last breath, to anyone willing to listen.

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created a bit later, around the XI century.

All three are still functioning in Georgia in their different cultural, social and practical roles.

Standing out from the two largest family groups in the Eurasian continent - the Indo-European and the Cine-Tibetan languages, Kartuli has a tiny language family of its own.

Unrelated to any surrounding/neighbouring languages, with its own original, authentic script, rich and ancient literary, poetic and academic traditions, Georgian stands its ground firmly.

The oldest Georgian language artefact was found by Italian archaeologist, Virgilio Canio Corbo, near the Judaean Desert, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, on the mosaic floor of ruins of a Georgian monastery, and is dated 430 AD. The earliest palimpsests, or ancient manuscripts, that have survived the ruthless tides of history were found in the Mount Sinai Monastery and date back to 869. Over 12,000 palimpsests are preserved in museum and church treasuries, both in Georgia and abroad.

Many do not know that over 6,500 languages currently spoken in the world use only fourteen alphabets, one of them being Georgian.

There are in total three scripts that Kartuli has created throughout its history.

The first one, called Asomtavruli, is the alphabet that many ancient manuscripts are written in and from which Nuskhuri evolved, circa IX-X century. Mkhedruli was

The significance of Georgian alphabets was recognised by UNESCO in 2016, by inscribing the living culture of the three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Every year Georgians celebrate ‘Deda Ena’ day (the day of the mother tongue) and have a dedicated statue to the Mother Tongue in the Mother Tongue Garden in central Tbilisi.

The most predominant alphabet, Mkhedruli, is a source of fascination to linguists. A phonetically perfect alphabet of 33 symbols designates each letter to one sound only, so that the letters are always pronounced the same way. There are no diphthongs, no silent letters, no capitals, no accents, apostrophes, niqqudim, umlauts, dots or other alterations, making Georgian spelling unbelievably easy: if you can pronounce the word correctly, you will always write and read correctly!

This pain-free orthography is made up for by Kartuli’s grammar, with seven noun cases, a vigesimal number system (the notion of the score in English) that only the Basque and Old French languages share, and the king of the jungle, the verb, with its unusual tense-modalityaspect categories. All this, despite the complete absence of grammatical gender, places Georgian among the most difficult languages in the world to learn. And for this reason alone, any attempts of tourists and expats at speaking Georgian is genuinely and gratefully cheered on by locals.

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The mother tongue has become the strongest symbol of identity to the nation.

The people have fought for it. Throughout centuries, various invaders have stripped Georgians of their wealth, their land, their dignity and even faith, but these people have never surrendered their language.

During the Soviet regime, when Russian became the state language in the majority of Soviet republics, Georgia retained Kartuli as the official state language, demonstrating complete determination to defend it at all costs.

Every language is wrought by the history of the people, their land, their labour, their character, customs, mentality, faiths and attitudes. Languages are a testament to the things that matter to its native speakers. The incessant state of war in the country is reflected in Georgian greetings.

There is no ‘hello’, ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’ here, instead it’s ‘victory to you’ or ‘morning of peace’ and ‘night of peace’.

The significance of kinship and friendship is expressed in Kartuli through many separate words for all members of the extended family, distinguishing different levels of closeness. Where English would use one term, such as ‘aunt’, ‘cousin’, ‘inlaws’ or ‘friend’, Georgian uses three, four

or more words to specifically designate an aunt from the father’s side, the mother’s side, etc. clearly marking the origin of the specific relationship line and the level of attachment.

Georgian has the richest vocabulary for viticulture and drinking, for weather, agriculture, iron smithery, crafts, cattle and horse-breeding, knitting and dressmaking, for feasting, drinking and toast-making, familial relations and an unfathomable number of expressions for love and affection.

Kartuli is venerated by every generation in its own way. There is even an alphabetornamented jewellery brand in Tbilisi, called ‘Atare Anbani’ (Wear the Alphabet), designed to further emphasise the sanctity and value of the language.

So, on your next visit to Georgia, raise a glass to the one and only Kartuli, the eternal language, the heart, soul and lifeblood of Georgians (‘Kartvelebi’ in Georgian) and enjoy the reaction of your local hosts.

By Maya Zedelashvili-Nichols

Issue2 / May 2021 / 10

TBILISI – WORLD BOOK CAPITAL 2021 Tbilisi has been granted World Book Capital status by UNESCO - The official opening ceremony was held on the 23rd April, 2021, as Tbilisi officially took over the annual World Book Capital status from Kuala Lumpur. Within the framework of the project, various initiatives and programs are planned in Tbilisi that will significantly contribute to the development of the publishing and library sectors, as well as popularising literacy among children, and adults.

Over the period of a year, Tbilisi will host world renowned authors, publishers, and literary agents. Moreover, entertainment activities (book flea market, literary quest, CosPlays, etc.) will be arranged to ensure the involvement of lots of people, specifically children, in the process.

Project Concept

A book is energy, an adventure, a roadmap to knowledge and freedom.

A book is a source of intelligence, an ocean of emotions, and food for thought.

A book is an opportunity to be independent and self-confident. It is the possibility to think, enquire, explore, be strong and share the energy with others.

What is your next book?

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Project Director, Ninia Macharashvili: - How did Tbilisi go about winning this title?’

- “The application required for the status was assigned by Tbilisi City Hall and filled out by the Union of Tbilisi Multifunctional Libraries. A few months after applying, UNESCO assessed our project with the highest score followed by the official draw-up of a collaboration memorandum between Tbilisi City Hall and UNESCO. We then started working on the project straight away.”

- What does it mean for Georgia?

- “Tbilisi’s World Book Capital status will not only support the introduction of contemporary Georgian authors, but will also increase interest in reading books through different types of activities. In addition, this project will support areas directly or indirectly related to the book world.

From our point of view, a great society is created only by educated, progressive and free-thinking people, therefore, the list of projects submitted by us to UNESCO is designed for people of all age groups and interests.

Another challenge this will help us to overcome is that the Georgian language is not spoken and read by the majority of people outside of Georgia and our literature is not often translated into foreign languages. Therefore, one of our main goals is to overcome these shortcomings. I am confident that the world will become more familiar with our talented and unique authors by the end of the year.”

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Street Art in Tbilisi

Several buildings in Tbilisi will be covered with literary illustrations. Georgian and international artists will take part in the project.

Literary Quest

A treasure hunt project that will include the whole city. The plan of the game will be based on a book. Any person or group of people will be able to participate in the treasure hunt.

Book Flea market

The flea market will be held four times over the course of the year. Following the leadership of a specific author, the activity will be arranged in different districts of Tbilisi, where the author will also sell books from his/her collection. Within the framework of the same event, culinary shows and other interactive activities will be held with the participation of the authors.

Literary CosPlay

This activity is a competition involving creating and displaying costumes of characters from the books. The activity will be held at Tbilisi International Book Festival and flea markets. Participants of the competition will win prizes from the sponsors.

Urban Stories

Four literary-musical performances will be arranged throughout the year, when authors and musicians will perform together in the old districts of Tbilisi. The authors will read, while musicians will perform improvised songs and melodies.

Film and Books

In cooperation with the Georgian National Film Center, the Short Movie Scripts competition will be initiated. The creation of the adaptation of the literary work is the main focus point of this contest.

Participation at International Book Fairs and Literary Festivals

Georgian authors will participate in the Book Fairs of Paris, London, Leipzig, Bologna, and Frankfurt. The project aims to popularise Georgian literature and books.

130 Years Since the Birth of Galaktion Tabidze

The 130th anniversary of the birth of the great Galaktion Tabidze will be celebrated in cooperation with the Giorgi Leonidze Literature Museum. The poet’s [until now] unknown material will be displayed from the archive during the event.

Opening of the Children’s Library & Children’s Book Festival The first ever children’s library will be opened in Tbilisi as a part of this project.

The first Children’s Book Festival is also planned to take place. Children’s literature and educational projects will be the main purpose of the festival. An exhibition of children’s books will be held, where various age-appropriate, educational products will be also displayed.

Interactive Books

The project aims to create interactive books based on Georgian publications for children, to arrange short, practical courses, and to share knowledge on

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Enriching Public School Libraries with Books

Also included as part of the project, all public schools in Tbilisi will receive books for libraries to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to read a new publication. technologies. The attendees will also learn to create games using the multiplatform game engine, Unity. The course is tailored for high school students and freshmen/ sophomore university students.

Tbilisi International Book Fair (Professional Program for Foreign Publishers)

Within the framework of the World Book Capital project, the book fair will offer further opportunities: a professional program for foreign publishers will be included (fellowship program). A competition will be announced for foreign publishers and editors on both a regional and international level.

Tbilisi International Literary Festival

Famous international authors will visit Tbilisi during the International Literary Festival.

Literary Forum for Georgian and Foreign Publishers and Literary Agents The forum aims to support the popularisation of Georgian literature abroad, as well as to promote foreign literature in Georgia. To that end, international and Georgian publishers, translators, literary agents, and writers will establish said network, and will plan further projects for future cooperation.

Library Conference

In cooperation with the National Library of the Parliament of Georgia, a conference will be hosted for local librarians. The event will be dedicated to discussing the main challenges the libraries faced during the pandemic.

International Conference for the Development of Publishing Sector

To discuss prevailing issues, an international conference will be arranged specifically for publishers. The main topics of the conference will be freedom of expression, royalties, intellectual rights and the publishing of textbooks.

Scholarship for Writers

A contest will be announced for creating new books, whereby a one-month scholarship will be granted to authors.

The scholarship aims to support and develop the priorities and aspirations of modern Georgian literature. ​

Audiobook Fund

Audiobooks of modern Georgian authors and foreign literature translations will be created for people with disabilities. The books will be also published in braille font.

By Vazha Tavberidze

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HISTORY OF TBILISI FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO MODERN PERIOD. PART I. Tbilisi is one of Europe’s oldest capitals.

“Tbilisi is like a Janus: one face towards Asia, and the other towards Europe”, wrote Russian newspaper Zakavkazskiy Vestnik in 1847. Ideal geographical conditions have propelled Tbilisi into a prominent hub, not only between Europe and Asia, but also as a connection point between modern day Russia and the Middle East.

Tbilisi’s location conditioned the city’s urban and commercial development. It also influenced the direction of foreign invasions. The city’s central location in the Caucasus made its control the paramount goal for every invader. From Tbilisi, it was remarkably easier to control Caucasian passes used by barbarians to overrun the country. Tbilisi also allowed foreign troops to reach the Western part of Georgia, as well as the Eastern region which later became known as Kakheti.

But at the same time, Tbilisi’s topography complicated the establishment of continuous control over the city. Shaped like a large amphitheater surrounded by mountains on three sides, invading the city was easier than setting up a long-term presence. At the time, foreign presence was costly, both financially and in terms of human resources, Georgians would easily hit back from the surrounding territories.

In a way, these physical conditions, favorable for controlling the valleys and repelling external threats, represented a significant obstacle for urban growth, whether in the Middle Ages or in recent times.

The city is located on the Mtkvari River at its dissection of the Trialeti and Kartli

ranges. Located 120km south of the Great Caucasus Mountains, Tbilisi shares the same latitude as Rome and Barcelona.

This is the reason for the city’s mild climate. However, the climate, topography, and hydrography have also given Tbilisi a unique cityscape, attractive panoramas, and distinctive architecture.

Founded in the mid-5th century, the capital of the Georgian kingdom was transferred to Tbilisi from Mtskheta. The city had a strategic position, controlling the route between Western and Eastern parts of the South Caucasus, as it’s known today. Legend has it that Tbilisi was first founded by King Vakhtang Gorgasali. He encountered numerous hot springs while hunting in the area – a new city was established in this area as a result. The city’s name, Tbilisi, means ‘a warm place’ in Georgian. But there is a much more historical record behind the founding of Tbilisi. Archaeology attests that the area around Tbilisi was inhabited well before the 5th century, as far back as the 4th millenium BC. Monetary finds of Asian and Black Sea coins on the territory of Tbilisi indicate that the space served as a busy commercial line from well before Issue2 / May 2021 / 15

the transfer of the capital. What is certain is that under Vakhtang, the enlargement of city settlement took place, while his son, Dachi, is said to have made it the permanent capital. The new status also meant that the city began to expand and required reliable defence. Under Dachi, the expansion of the fortress wall that lined the city’s new boundaries took place. However, the commonly known Narikala fortress was likely established by Persians in the 4th century as a Sasanian citadel, and was known under the name of Shuris-tsikhe (‘Invidious Fort’). It was continuously reworked and expanded by subsequent foreign rulers such as the Umayyads in the 7th century and Georgian kings of the unified Georgian monarchy.

The name Narikala, under which the fortress is commonly known nowadays, is first attested in the work of the German traveler Johann Anton Güldenstädt, who visited Georgia in the 70s of the 18th century.

Tbilisi was always considered as the commercial, territorial and political center of the region. When the Persians abrogated the kingdom of Kartli, the supreme government of the territory passed into the hands of the vice-regent

of Shah – Marzban, the residence of which became Tbilisi.

From the mid-7th century, Kartli came under Arab rule. The governor of Arabs, Emir, ruled from Tbilisi and governed the conquered part of Georgia from there.

In 735, Murvan Ibn-Mohamed conquered Tbilisi. Arabs imposed taxes on Tbilisi’s population. The city’s strategic and economic importance was also underlined in the early 8th century, when the first coin, called the Tbilisi-Arabian drahma, was issued by a minting institution in Tbilisi.

The city’s strategic location between Europe and Asia made it geopolitically vulnerable as rivalries between Persia, Byzantium, Arabia and the nomadic people from the Eurasian steppes were strong. Foreign domination was a feature of Tbilisi until the 12th century. In 1121, David Aghmashenebeli re-took the city from the centuries-old Arab control.

Thence began a new history of the city – a veritable commercial hub, which was closely linked to the famous Silk Road, which then traversed the Middle East.

By Emil Avdaliani

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GEORGIANS WHO HAVE INFLUENCED THE WESTERN WORLD GEORGE BALANCHINE: THE GEORGIANAMERICAN AMBASSADOR OF DANCE TO MUSIC On a dim spring day, when a bit of rain and a breeze mix with the smell of freshly-awakened flowers, a certain melancholy engulfs my mind.

It’s at this time that there are some things you simply have to do. I’ve tried movie-like walks in the rain; learning yet another sad song on a guitar; giving The Notebook one more shot to understand how it became a cult movie – no luck, I might have to do it again. Yet, nothing has matched the concept of a dull spring day like Apollo, composed by Igor Stravinsky and choreographed by George Balanchine.

The ballet sees Apollo, the Greek God of music, poetry, archery and dance, being visited and instructed by three Muses: Calliope, Muse of poetry; Polyhymnia, Muse of mime; and Terpsichore, Muse of dance and song. However, when you’re watching this 30-minute-long ballet, you are least interested in the plot. It is the “brief work of rare beauty,” as The Seattle Times once wrote, that takes you in. It’s the beauty of Stravinsky’s composition, the graceful movement of the dancers, the costumes once created by Coco Chanel, and, for me personally and above all, the pride in knowing that the great creator of this translation of music into dance was Georgian. That Georgian pride of mine. The pride Georgians are not granted too often since the Western press usually credits him as a RussianAmerican.

George Balanchine

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When Balanchine was born into a Georgian family in Saint Petersburg of the Russian Empire, Georgia was just a mere part of it. There are many Georgians who are ‘robbed’ of their nationality in the eyes of the world due to the same reason.

George Balanchine should be widely known as a Georgian Who Has Influenced The Modern World.

So, on another dull spring day, having just rewatched Apollo, having neglected the idea of trying The Notebook again, I sat down to write this piece.

According to Balanchine himself, his “genes and blood were Georgian, but his ethnicity was a Saint Petersburger.” It was his father’s DNA – the genes of a great Georgian composer, and one of the founders of the Tbilisi Opera and Ballet Theatre, Meliton Balanchivadze – that drew him to the fascinating world of the musical arts, resulting in him becoming the best ballet master of the 20th century.

Born in 1904, into a highly music-oriented family of a renowned composer as a father, and a mother who excelled at playing the piano, George Balanchine (né Giorgi Balanchivadze) first tried his luck with the piano at the age of five. When he was nine, he was already taking ballet classes and by the time he was fourteen, he had fallen in love so much with the exquisite dance that he refused to move back to Georgia, like the rest of the Balanchivadzes did, finding it harder to part with ballet than his family. He would only see his younger brother, Andrea, 45 years later, when he returned to the USSR with the New York City Ballet troupe.

At 17, Balanchine was already a member of the corps de ballet in the Mariinsky Theatre Ballet Company. At the same age, he started staging works both for the company and elsewhere, experimenting with new ideas that would later become a neo classical movement. These experiments went against the Romantic anticlassicism, the overdone theatricality of which Issue2 / May 2021 / 18

disturbed Balanchine. Just as the Soviet censure was about to cut down Balanchine’s artistic potential to fit the view of the regime, in 1924 Balanchine, along with three other dancers, left for a tour of Western Europe. He then became a member of the Ballets Russes in Paris and it would not be long until he was invited to replace Bronislava Nijinska as its ballet master. Balanchine soon suffered a knee injury, limiting him as a danseur and encouraging him to fully commit to the art of choreography. After the Ballets Russes was dissolved in 1929, Balanchine and his talents travelled all over Europe. Establishing himself in Europe turned out not to be that easy, but it was not like he had to play the piano at nightclubs and cabarets in order to feed himself, which he was left with no other choice but to do back in the Soviet Union.

At the age of 29, Balanchine formed Les Ballets 1933 in Paris, which would only run for one season as Balanchine got an offer from Bostonborn dance connoisseur Lincoln Kirstein, to travel to the United States and establish an American ballet company. As a result of this collaboration, first came the School of American Ballet, founded

in 1934 and 14 years later, the New York City Ballet, with its Concerto Barocco, Orpheus and Symphony In C dancing program. Balanchine did not understand the point of retiring - much like his dancers, who did not merely want to dance, but had to dance - the great ballet master had to choreograph. So, from the NYCB formation until his death, Balanchine was the artistic director of the facility, leading the choreography of most of the company’s production. The most popular of them all, perhaps, would be The Nutcracker, which is not only note-worthy because it is simply amazing, but because it also restated the view of American public, ensuring it was kept inside the hearts of the American people so much so, that since then, The Nutcracker has been an integral part of American Christmas celebrations.

Balanchine’s mother, Maria Vasilyeva, saw ballet as a form of social advancement; with her son’s production of the Nutcracker, she turned out to be right.

A man of vast talents, in addition to ballet, Balanchine also worked in theatre and on movies, choreographing a number of musical comedies, including On Your Toes and Babes in Arms. He has also been credited to have re-created some of his works for TV, like L’enfant et les Sortileges, adding animation to the piece. 1974’s choreography of Coppelia secured Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova an Emmy nomination.

Both his life and death were filled with Balanchine’s love for ballet – all of his many partners were ballerinas, and he made sure in his will that his earthly possessions would be left to his troupe of ballerinas.

In addition to Balanchine’s direct legacy, he is immortalised in space - one of the 23 craters on Mercury was named after George Balanchine, as its unusual blue visual reminded astronomers of the famous blue tutus in Balanchine’s Serenade.

I’m not sure about space, but Balanchine did have a different sense of time. He used to say that there is no past, nor future, only the present. That is exactly what one sees in his ballet – beauty, now.

By Nini Dakhundaridze

Issue2 / May 2021 / 19

FASHION PAINT IT BLACK Black - the colour of the night, the colour of nothingness, the most mysterious cosmic matter, is the favourite colour of Georgia. There is no other country in the world with such a special relationship and historic attachment to black.

If you have ever visited Georgia in the last seventeen centuries, whatever your mission, however short your visit, you would remember the local folk – young and old, clergymen and laymen, posh and poor, frocked in black.

The little country by the Black Sea has a unique penchant for this colour and there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. Black has been woven into Georgian DNA by history itself, thread by thread, throughout the generations, absorbing millions of told and untold stories, meanings and symbols along the way.

further expanding and exploiting this exceptional loyalty.

Young locals will tell you ‘It’s an obsession’ but in fact it’s more like a vintage storage chest, inherited by them from their ancestors. The chest that holds insights from their grandma’s answer to looking slim to their grandpa’s longing for the Georgian national costume – the Chokha.

Georgian fashion’s favourite colour was also associated with mourning throughout the volatile history of the country. Georgia’s geopolitical situation has been determining its often unintentional

Black is everywhere, in cities and remote villages, in vineyards, on construction sites, in glass-clad offices and cobbled streets, open-air cafes and closed-door casinos, cone-domed brick churches, yellow busses and tinted-windowed SUVs, at weddings and at funerals.

Tourists notice it, foreign expats notice it, Georgians who live abroad notice it when they return home. The catwalk takes notice, too. Tbilisi Fashion Week features signature pieces in black by various talented Georgian designers every year, Issue2 / May 2021 / 20

and undesired engagement in historical processes bigger and more politically significant than its small size would suggest.

Situated on the crossroads of the East and West, nested among competing religious beliefs and opposing political powers, Georgia was at war for as long as it had existed.

Georgian women wore black because they were mourning their sons, brothers and husbands for most of their lives. Georgian men wore black because blood was less visible on it on a battlefield, and mud was better tolerated on it back in the wheat field.

The adoption of Christianity, which brought spiritual guidance and solace to the nation, tied black, the colour of the Orthodox clergy, with faith, hope, salvation and spiritual leadership. Monks, and the rich monasterial tradition that they built, were revered and cherished by Royalty, as well as lay public, from early Christianity to the present day.

©Photos courtesy of Vogue W Magazine

From the Middle Ages to the 20th century, Georgia has suffered centuries-long suppression and subjugation from various powerful neighbours from all sides of its borders. Black clothing suited the emotional distress and overt or covert struggles that people were going through.

During the Soviet era, the story of the colour black attained an additional dimension in the Georgian psyche. Universal literacy, industrialisation and the rapid development of this new reality brought affluence to fun-loving and proud Georgians. The increase in general wealth and cultural output brought an appetite within society for more clothes that could be worn to attend cultural events and special occasions. Houses of Public Culture, with drama clubs in every Georgian town and village, and the popularity of the theatre and cinema in the country led to the development of taste, dress-sense and fashion.

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©Photos courtesy of Vogue W Magazine

feasts for all occasions, were obstacles to attaining a body shape that corresponded to the ideals seen in Western fashion magazines. Black became a solution, a magic wand that made everyone look a bit slimmer, a bit taller, and well puttogether. An easy trick that helped women come to terms with their reflections in the mirror.

The belief in the slimming magic of black has transcended through decades and shows no signs of diminishing. Street fashion embraced it and took it to new heights. Black is integral to all modern trends in Georgia.

Internationally, since the 1920s when Coco Chanel put black on the pedestal of global fashion forever, it has become the colour of style, elegance, allure, depth and complexity. To quote Chanel herself: “Women think of all colours except the absence of colour. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.”

This appraisal of black is still resonating with the nation that boasts of its unique creative genius and its fascination with everything beautiful and complex.

By the mid ‘60s, black was firmly established in Tbilisi as the colour of stylish and graceful women and educated men.

Starting in the ‘70s, Georgian women faced a new issue: body image, caused by the dissonance between genetic propensity to shapely forms and the perception of beauty adopted from the ‘Twiggisation’ of beauty and fashion. Abundant food and a unique feasting culture, as well as traditional gender roles in Georgia, where women cook for their family and prepare

Whilst Black is still the colour of loss, easily distinguishable from a fashion statement by the absence of flashy accessories, colourful make-up, and by an unassuming cut, for today’s young Georgians, black is not just beautiful, cool, daring, adventurous and classy, but also practical. The opinionated digital generations of the new millennium need to have it all – comfort and beauty, simplicity and complexity, individuality and commonality, fitting in and standing out. Black, just like Coco believed, has it all for them. You can dress it up and dress it down, add any colour to it, any accessory, any gadget and make-up for self-expression. And you can do it quickly and effortlessly, achieving that statement of chic which doesn’t look over groomed or overdone.

And finally, buying, making, and dressing in black clothes has become, for all of these reasons, a national habit, a second nature. And, as with any habit, it is very difficult to change, creating a solid foundation for the unique longevity of black in Georgia.

Maya Zedelashvili-Nichols Issue2 / May 2021 / 22

THE COCA-COLA CONCEPT OF DEMNA GVASALIA’S FASHION If a person is looking for inspiration, he or she will find it anywhere. There are times when we don’t believe this paradoxically encouraging and discouraging fairytale-like narrative, but the story of Demna Gvasalia really puts things into perspective. Today, Gvasalia is the one of the most closely-watched designers of the world, heading the French fashion house Balenciaga. At one time, he was just a Georgian boy, accused of being the son of capitalism-lover parents, merely because young Gvasalia wanted cropped trousers. I’ll explain this one later.

Born in 1981 in Sukhumi, Abkhazia, Gvasalia had to spend many of his younger years in Georgia’s worst times – firstly the Soviet regime, then the Union collapsing and a new state emerging, and shortly after, the occupation of Abkhazia.

After the Abkhazian war of 1992-1993, the Gvasalias moved to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. There, Demna enrolled in Tbilisi State University, majoring in Economics.

Suppressing his love for fashion as he saw no future in the field in his motherland, Gvasalia planned to pursue a profession in Economics. But when his family moved to Germany, the soon-to-be VETEMENTS co-founder had a change of heart, and enrolled in the Antwerp Royal Academy of Arts. Gvasalia’s fascinating edge was noticed during his years at the academy by Walter Van Beirendonck, who was the rector of the academy and Demna’s professor. He offered Gvasalia the designer position of menswear of his brand. Gvasalia worked with Beirendonck in Belgium for a year and a half, after which he sent his work to Paris. Intrigued

by Gvasalia’s style, Gvasalia was invited to the Maison Margiela in Paris, as the main designer of menswear and womenswear, marking the start of his career in the highend fashion world.

It wouldn’t be long until Gvasalia would move on to work for Louis Vuitton. In pursuit of finding, establishing and sharing his fashion views, Demna soon left the legendary label and, along with his friends, founded VETEMENTS, the soon caught-on urban ready-to-wear brand, sometimes angering the fashion critics for its “Unbearable Avant-gardness of (fashion) Being”.

First shown in the works of VETEMENTS, many of Gvasalia’s pieces are inspired by Issue2 / May 2021 / 23

was dictated by, you know, Vladimir Lenin or whoever,” he told Vogue.

his Georgian, Abkhazian background. An example of this was Gvasalia’s statement about the VETEMENTS’s spring / summer 2019 collection - “I am from Georgia”. In an interview with Radio Freedom, he said: “For the first time, I wanted to tell my story. I knew from the start that it would be more personal. Every silhouette, from the first look to the last look, was a character who was someone special to me.” This very show was something special to all Georgians, and Lil Wayne who, during his concert, was seen sporting VETEMENT’s jean jacket with the names Shota, Vazha, Galaktioni on it, written in Georgian – three of Georgia’s literature masters. Gvasalia believes that the socialpolitical environment around the world impacts fashion designs. His constant observation and reflection on the outside world narrows his pieces to everydayness, making him always relatable and in demand, and, at the same time, original.

Parts of his Georgian life continue to reoccur in his designs. Due to poverty, his parents had to buy him bigger sized clothes so that he would be able to wear them for a longer period. Overtime, Demna grew comfortable in oversized clothes, resulting in his designs today. When he was seven years old, he expressed his first fashion statement, convincing a tailor to shorten his trousers by five centimetres.

The school then went on to investigate whether Gvasalia’s parents had capitalist views “I just wanted to have cropped pants, but that was not part of the narrative that

This Rebel, Rebel attitude, first displayed while still only a child, was possibly how VETEMENTS drew the attention of the world – it only took 3 seasons for the whole world to learn about the brand, as Celine Dion and Kanye West appeared in public in Gvasalia’s clothes.

However, the rebel in Gvasalia has now settled down in Switzerland with his French musician and composer husband Loïk Gomez away from the headaches of the fashion industry, diving into the calmness and creativity. Again, in a change of heart, Gvasalia left VETEMENTS in the hands of his brother Guram in 2019, now fully pursuing his artistic director position at Balenciaga, which he has had since 2015.

Balenciaga changed a lot under Demna’s influence, and in retrospect, so did the whole fashion scene. Gvasalia seeks to make clothes for everyone – celebrities, office workers, soccer moms and their spoiled kids, workaholic dads and their shy kids; his clothes in high-fashion are what Coca-Cola is in the soft drinks world.

Maybe an education in economics served him better than one might think?

I grew up watching fashion shows. My feet would dangle in the air, well-above the floor, as I sat in a chair in front of the TV, watched the models wear beautiful, sometimes odd-looking attire and thought it pointless if designers showcased clothes that would never be worn just to prove their creativity. As Demna Gvasalia continues to influence the world, little girls like I once was, who grow up intrigued by fashion, will know that originality lies in interpreting the most mundane things, in the style of Demna Gvasalia.

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ACCESSORIES THE HISTORY OF GEORGIAN CERAMICS

One of Georgia’s Oldest Traditions Still Very Much Alive Today

Like many other ancient nations, ceramics are a big part of both the past and present of Georgian culture. There have been hardly any archaeological excavations on Georgian land that did not unearth centuries-old pottery of different types of craftsmanship.

From the cultures of Kura-Araxes and Trialeti, the Ancient era to the Medieval periods, the ceramic artefacts show that pottery was a way for Georgian ancestors to portray and accessorise their culture, religion, and social life.

It’s well documented that Georgia has ancient roots, the first humans - Homo Erectus Georgicus, that is - that were found here date back 1.8 million years. The history of Georgian ceramics starts early on too, in the Neolithic period. It seems Georgians at this time had already mastered relief-making on top of ceramics: A clay wine vessel - considered to be the oldest wine vessel in the world - found in the region of Kvemo Kartli, has details of grapevine canes, signalling that winemaking had become or was becoming a big part of the local culture.

By the 4th - 3rd millennia, religious beliefs, as well as a fascination with astrology, are adopted into early Georgian cultures; this is demonstrated by the ceramics of this period, which included some religious and astral Issue2 / May 2021 / 25

symbols. The craftsmen had moved on to high-quality, black, glossy pottery, perfected with geometric ornaments.

Influenced by connections with Western Asia, the 2nd millennium’s Trialeti culture shows the craftsmanship of not only pottery, but also metallurgy.

Found in the Kurgan burial sites, vessels made from silver and gold show the excellent detail-oriented approach of the craftsmen. The designs on some cups attest to the multifunctional meaning of the grapevines, as by then the plant had become a part of religious symbolism, and vessels themselves were integral to religious rituals.

The symbolism of the grapevine only gets more colourful over time – by the early Iron Age, ancient Georgians had already established the culture of the ‘Tamada’ (a Georgian toastmaster), as shown on a little bronze sculpture of a man from Vani, which, if you look at it closely

enough, seems very modern, from the 8th-6th century BC. A ram-shaped wine vessel made from clay also dates back to this period, uniting the cultures of wine and ram with the Georgian tradition, also giving it a touch of Greek mythology.

Crafted from bronze, horn-like drinking vessels, known in modern-day Georgia as Kantsi, also originate from this period.

Georgian pottery from the Antiquity period further establishes grapevine and wine as the major symbol of the nation’s culture and aspirations, as the craftsmen seemed to be under Greek and Roman influences, especially in the Western part of Georgia. This era sees the emergence of farm culture depicted on the ceramic and metallurgic vessels: the bull and the horse, along with the ram.

Moving on to the AD period, and as wine culture grew stronger in the country, craftsmen started shaping vessels and cups in different ways. Shortly after Issue2 / May 2021 / 26

Christianity became a part of Georgian culture, the medieval craftsmen started their own renaissance period early, going back to their roots of local ceramics. Just like in the early Bronze Age, the scenes of interest on the jars and dishes became birds and animals. Now more colourful than ever in its sense and style, medieval Georgian pottery is related to that of the Near East and general Caucasus region.

The 13th century Mongol Invasions forced the country to take a few steps back in

the production of crafts. Pottery-making would not resume until the 18th century, at which time it became more of a part of folk culture, a sort of everyday crockery.

In the 20th century, up to 50 potteries opened up around the country, in an effort to keep up with the thousands of years of traditions. Currently, every Georgian region makes pottery.

In addition to accessorising purposes, ceramics in Georgia were made throughout the whole history to vessel water, milk, and wine; to use as kitchen utensils; to store grain, and to be used in construction.

The Georgians have now of course switched to more ‘modern’ solutions – milk is kept in cartons, water is kept in a bottle; but much of Georgian wine remains in earthenware vessels of qvevri.

Before sitting down to write this piece, I meant to write separately about the history of Georgian ceramics and only connect it to the wine-making culture in the last paragraph. However, the more I researched, the more evident it became that this history is twofold: like most Georgian things, ceramics, too are intertwined with the wine culture of the country. And it’s no surprise: the oldest wine vessel in the world found in Kvemo Kartli - that dates back 8,000 years - revealed the earliest precedent of grape-based wine, making Georgia the motherland of grape winemaking.

For more information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS); winehistory.ge

By Nini Dakhundaridze

Issue2 / May 2021 / 27

FOOD & WINE VEGAN GEORGIAN CUISINE Georgian cuisine is one of the most flavourful in the world, with a plethora of aromatic herbs and spices and regional diversity; this small country really outdoes itself in an abundance of dishes. If you have only seen Georgian cuisine on Instagram, it may seem that it is all calorie-laden cheese bread and meat, but Georgia is honestly one of the easiest countries in the world to eat a plant-based diet. Georgia is a vegan’s dream due to Orthodox fasting dates and the diversity in fruit and vegetables that can be found throughout the country. During fasting days, observant Christians abstain from meat and animal products during fasting periods that last for 40 days each and amount to 200 days a year. Fish is allowed, but meat, dairy, and eggs are prohibited. While in Georgia, vegan dishes will often be labeled for fasting.

Unless it is fish, it will be safe for a vegan to eat. Our list of vegan Georgian dishes is by no means exhaustive, but it is a great start.

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LOBIANI Lobiani is the vegan answer to cheese pie khachapuri, which is often topped with a raw egg and a huge pat of butter. Lobiani is a bean pie filled with cooked kidney beans that are usually baked in a wood-fired oven on the side of a tone (round earthenware oven); this dish is typically served with pickled peppers.

PKHALI Phkali is a vegetable patè that is served in a bowl, like a dip or as balls. It’s a mixture of seasonal vegetables and walnuts with aromatic herbs and dried Georgian spices. The most common are spinach and beetroot.

One favorite is made with roasted pumpkin—the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin balances out the savory and spicy elements, while the addition of walnuts adds some bite.

GEORGIAN SALAD Georgian Salad is obviously vegan but deserves mention because it is so delicious in its simplicity. It’s a salad of tomato, onion, cucumbers seasoned with fresh chopped herbs, crushed walnuts, sunflower oil, and salt. With a piece of puri (bread), it is a perfect light meal.

LOBIO Lobio is stewed beans, and there are a few variations, including stewed beans with herbs served in a clay pot, cold bean salad, and bean stew served with pasta.

Issue2 / May 2021 / 29

BADRIJANI NIGVZIT Badrijani Nigvzit is a Georgian staple. Eggplant rolls with walnut paste are delicious and easy to make.

Long strips of fried eggplant have been smeared with a delicious garlic and walnut sauce and then rolled up into bite-size morsels.

KHINKALI These famous Georgian soup dumplings are made with flour and water-based dough. Like the pleated dumplings of East and Central Asia, khinkali are a remnant of much earlier Mongol invasions, and legend has it that the ideal khinkali has 19 pleats. Luckily there are vegetable fillings available. While the potato is delicious, it is the mushroom khinkali with mountain spices that is closest to the original soup dumpling. Eat them with your hands, and leave the kudi on your plate to keep track of how many you eat.

PICKLES Pickles Georgians ferment or pickle pretty much every vegetable possible. You can taste pickled flowers (jonjoli), the fermented green tomatoes with chili and garlic, and the heads of white cabbage fermented with beats that dye the cabbage pink.

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AJAPSANDALI Ajapsandali is the Georgian version of ratatouille, a vegetable dish made with eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, and cilantro.

APYRPYLCHAPA Apyrpylchapa is red pepper stuffed with walnut paste and spicy adjika. This is the perfect appetizer for anyone looking for a bit of heat and spice.

CHURCHKHELA Churchkhela is a traditional sausage-shaped candy made from grape must (the pressed grapes that include the juice, skins, and seeds), nuts, and flour. No food photo says “Georgia’’ more than churchkhela. It is made in autumn at harvest and can be preserved for months.

Traditionally, churchkhelas were carried by warriors and knights on long journeys to provide sustenance, churchkhelas are easy to transport and are full of nutrition for long travels. You’ll often hear them called “Georgian Snickers,” but maybe energy bar is more apt.

Check out next month’s issue for a list of gluten-free Georgian dishes!

By Sarah May Grunwald Issue2 / May 2021 / 31

SPORT MADE IN GEORGIA: SPORT Just like its other cultural scenes, Georgian sport is full of fascinating stories and characters. Made in Georgia will put the spotlight each month on the country’s teams and players who continuously aim for bigger and better.

This summer Georgia will compete at its seventh Olympic Games as an independent country. So far, Georgian athletes have won eight gold, seven silver and seventeen bronze medals, in wrestling, judo, weightlifting, boxing and shooting. Nino Salukvadze, the only woman to win a medal - a bronze in shooting at the 2008 Games in Beijing was Georgia’s flag bearer at London 2012.

Georgians’ love of physical sports has seen the country’s rugby union team go from strength to strength this century, competing in the last four World Cups.

Georgians play for some of the biggest clubs in Europe (read about the UK’s connection with Georgian rugby in this month’s magazine). Currently ranked above Samoa and Italy in the world rankings, The Lelos have won 11 of the last 13 Rugby Europe Championships.

Rugby is a big sport in Georgia, and its national team players are some of the county’s best-known people.

If rugby is the sport that Georgia has become most successful at, then football is still the most played. The country’s most storied club, Dinamo Tbilisi -

whose exploits in England are featured in last month’s magazine - won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1981, while in 2019, Georgia’s struggling national team managed draws against Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. Football in Georgia has slipped back since its heyday in the 1990s and early 2000s, when Giorgi Kinkladze was one of the first stars of the English Premier League while playing for Manchester City, and Shota Arveladze and Zurab Khizanishvili won Scottish titles with Glasgow Rangers. But reminders of that era remain: Kakha Kaladze, the former AC Milan defender, is now the mayor of Tbilisi.

The profile of Georgian tennis is steadily growing, with Nikoloz Basilashvili among the world’s top 40 men’s tennis players, and Ekaterine Gorgodze and Mariam Bolkvadze close to the top 200 in the women’s rankings. This section will seek to both explore and highlight Georgia’s success and further potential in terms of sport.

By Jonathan Campion Issue2 / May 2021 / 32

SWING LELO: GEORGIA AND BRITAIN’S SHARED RUGBY HISTORY For Georgia to have a sporting team ranked 12th in the world is an achievement to be proud of. For that sport to be rugby union, a game born in England’s elite schools, and kept within the British Commonwealth for over a century, makes it an even more outlandish feat. The rise of Georgian rugby is one of the great stories in European sport over the last 20 years, with the national team going from unknowns to World Cup mainstays. Along the way, Georgia may not have battled the British nations on the pitch as often as it hoped to, but the countries’ rugby histories have been closely linked in other ways.

From graft to Gorgodze: Evolution and revolution in Georgian rugby While rugby has been played in Britain since the 1820s, and the first British championships held in 1883, the game didn’t arrive in Georgia until the late 1950s. It was brought by a Frenchman of Armenian descent, Jacques Haspekian.

Haspekian was a teacher who taught the game to his students in Tbilisi, before later helping to set up the republic’s first rugby clubs. The Georgian Rugby Federation was established in 1964; within a couple of years, Georgians made up half of the USSR’s rugby side.

It was no coincidence that Georgians picked up the rules to rugby so quickly.

Source: www.rugbyworldcup.com

The game was similar to the bruising sport of Lelo burti, which had been played in Georgia for thousands of years. In Lelo burti - ‘Fieldball’ in Georgian - a heavy round ball is placed in the central point between two villages, and the men from each village have to carry it back onto their land in any way possible, bringing opponents to the ground with full body tackles, as in rugby. The sport was first played in the region of Guria in western Georgia, where in past centuries the district’s priest would act as the referee, and bless the ball before throwing it to the players. The ball could weigh seven kilogrammes or more, and was said to Issue2 / May 2021 / 33

represent the sun; the winning village would receive the better harvest. The game is still occasionally played today in parts of Georgia.

bottom of their group, but the prop David Dadunashvili scored the country’s first World Cup try, in a bad-tempered match with South Africa.

In September 1989, thirty years after Jacques Haspekian brought rugby to Georgia, the national rugby team played its first official Test match. The Lelos (as Georgia’s team had become known, after the name of the ‘try line’ in Lelo burti) beat Zimbabwe 16-3 in Kutaisi, with the centre Oleg Liparteliani captaining the side, and fly-half David Dzagnidze scoring all of the points. In April 1990, the two countries played a return series in Zimbabwe; Georgia lost the first Test 22-16 and won the second 26-10. After the country regained its independence in 1991, it became a member of the International Rugby Board in 1992. But the turbulent 1990s were as draining for Georgia’s rugby teams as they were for the nation itself. By the middle of the decade, while the best rugby players in Europe and the Southern Hemisphere were preparing to become full-time professionals for the first time, the Georgian national team had only two spare balls. Instead of using specially-made bags to practice tackling in training, the players threw themselves at denim sacks that the coach’s wife had filled with rubber. Forwards in Georgia trained for scrums by pushing old Soviet tractors. Against this backdrop, Georgia came painfully close to reaching the 1999 World Cup in Wales, losing 23-27 to Romania in European qualification.

Still led by Zedginidze, Georgia qualified again for the 2007 World Cup in France.

With many of the squad already playing in the host country - and battle-hardened by the tough lower French leagues - they earned their first victory, beating Namibia 30-0. A few days earlier, the team had come within a try of one of the biggest shocks in rugby history in a 14-10 defeat to Ireland. Four years later at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, The Lelos, captained by scrum-half Irakli Abuseridze, faced Scotland and England in the same week. They lost both matches heavily, but bounced back to beat Romania 25-9, with a try by a young back row forward called Mamuka Gorgodze.

After a lot of much-needed investment, in 2003 The Lelos reached their first World Cup, in Australia. In their first match they went up against the England team that would go on to win the tournament, and were pummelled 84-6. The Georgian side, led by number 8, Ilia Zedginidze, went on to lose all their games and finish

In the 2015 tournament, held in Britain, Georgia beat Tonga (17-10) and Namibia (17-16) to finish third in their five-team group. Gorgodze was now the team’s captain; known as “Gorgodzilla” in France, where he played for Montpellier and Toulon, he scored tries in both victories, and was named man of the match in Georgia’s game against New Zealand. The 2019 World Cup in Japan brought another win, 33-7 against Uruguay, and a heavy 4314 loss to Wales.

Georgia haven’t yet managed to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup. But one international record does belong to them: in 2015, nineteen-year-old fly-half Vasil Lobzhanidze became the youngest player ever to play at a Rugby World Cup. Lobzhanidze has since overtaken Wales’s George North to be the youngest player to reach 50 international caps.

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Sharks, Warriors and Tigers, Wasps, Ospreys and Pirates: Georgian players in Britain Ever since Georgia began to breed worldclass rugby players, most of the best young talents have started to leave the country’s Didi 10 (‘Big 10’) division to join clubs in bigger leagues. Almost all Georgian players end up in France: when The Lelos appointed the Frenchman Claude Saurel as their coach in 1999, he arranged for several French teams to sign Georgian players, and the connections that Saurel created remain to this day.

Only a few Georgians have played professionally in Britain. The first is the now-veteran hooker Shalva Mamukashvili,

who in 2014 left the Didi 10 side Armia Tbilisi to join Sale Sharks in the English Premiership. After a season with Sale, Mamukashvili spent a year with Glasgow’s Warriors.

After Georgia’s two victories at the 2015 World Cup, powered by a scrum that had become one of the most feared in world rugby, Georgian forwards saw their stocks rise. Over the next few years, five more players followed Mamukashvili to Britain: the hooker Jaba Bregvadze (Worcester Warriors), props Anton Peikrishvili (Cardiff Blues) and Zurab Zhvania (London

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Source: www.live.ge

in the world. Why wouldn’t we want to scrummage against them?” The England team sparred with the Georgians again in 2019. A few months after this, the Premiership side Leicester Tigers had problems with their own scrum, and brought Mamukashvili back to England to steady the team.

Wasps), and the second-rows Nodar Tcheishvili (Cornish Pirates, London Scottish) and Giorgi Nemsadze (Bristol Bears and Ospreys in Wales). The only back to have joined them is the centre Giorgi Kveseladze, who in 2021 signed for Gloucester.

Several more of the current Lelos squad have played rugby while studying in England. The team’s new captain, centre Merab Sharikadze, played for the prestigious Hartpury College in Gloucestershire; the second-row Lasha Jaiani has recently joined London Wasps from Exeter University; and fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze left his club in Kutaisi for a year to play at Terenure College in Ireland.

Georgian players haven’t only been in demand with British clubs: they have become friendly adversaries of the England team. In 2018, England’s coach Eddie Jones flew a group of Georgian forwards to London for two days, for the two countries to train against each other.

As Jones put it at the time: “They’re the biggest, ugliest, strongest scrum pack

Mamukashvili may be the first Georgian to play rugby professionally in Britain, but a Georgian had left a mark there long before he arrived. Gia Rapava was a second-row who played for the national team throughout the 1990s, making his debut for The Lelos on their tour of Zimbabwe in 1990. Some years after this, Rapava moved to England, where he spent three years playing for clubs just below the top level of English rugby. He began at Bedford RFC, before moving to London Welsh, and finally played for Blackheath in south-east London, the world’s oldest rugby club.

The big investments made since the 1990s have allowed rugby to become a popular sport in Georgia. The national team’s results are front-page news, and its players are household names. But as more and more Georgians take up the game, the country’s rugby community is still closely-knit. Since the young centre Giorgi Kveseladze has been playing for Gloucester, one of his teammates has been the prop Val Rapava Ruskin - the son of Gia, who played in England 25 years earlier. Rapava Senior retired before rugby players were paid to play the game, but his son has spent his whole career as a professional with Worcester and Gloucester. Like his father, Val Rapava was born in Tbilisi; but having grown up in London - learning rugby at the Blackheath club where his father played he has ambitions to play for England.

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Give and take: British players in Georgia

If the history of Georgian rugby players in Britain has only recently begun in earnest, then the story of British players in Georgia goes back much further. There are even theories that the origins of Georgian rugby come not from the Frenchman Haspekian, but as an accidental export from the British Isles. One story goes that when a British cargo ship stopped in Batumi in the 1890s, some men working in the port invited them for a game of Lelo burti, where the Brits taught the Georgians some of their rugby skills. There are other rumours of games of rugby played between British and Georgian dockers in Poti in the 1920s.

A different kind of rugby exchange took place in 2015. Soon after Georgian rugby lost Val Rapava Ruskin to England, The Lelos took an Englishman in return. While playing rugby for Oxford University, a promising centre called Matthew Janney discovered that his grandfather’s surname was not actually Janney, but Janashvili.

This led the Londoner to spend a year gathering the documents he needed to become eligible to play for Georgia.

In 2015, Janney made his debut for the Georgian Sevens team.

In the years since, Georgian teams have hosted a number of visiting sides from Britain. An amateur team of the best players from the English counties has visited Georgia several times to play in friendly matches against Georgia’s A side, and youth teams from Cardiff Blues and London Wasps have also travelled to Tbilisi to play against Georgian academies. Some higher-profile British

players arrived in Georgia in 2017, when the country hosted the Under-20 World Cup. During the tournament, the England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland teams played matches in Tbilisi and Kutaisi. Georgia’s Under-20s lost narrowly to Ireland (24-18) on their way to finishing ninth out of 12 teams.

In 2019, Scotland became the first British nation to play a Test on Georgian soil, consigning Georgia to a 44-10 defeat in Tbilisi. The match highlighted the limbo that Georgian rugby finds itself in, as it fights for an invitation to join the Six Nations. The Lelos are untouchable in the Rugby Europe Championship (a tournament for European countries outside the Six Nations): the team has won every match since 2017, and hasn’t lost at home since 2009. But in 19 Tests against teams from the Six Nations, Georgia is still waiting for its first victory.

Georgia may not yet be able to overpower British teams. But the countries’ battles over the years have made everyone stronger. As Georgia’s former coach Milton Haig once said: “It’s not about money for them or the match fee. These guys would do it for nothing because playing for their country is the most important thing in the world for them. Our guys bleed for Georgia”.

By Jonanthan Campion

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BUSINESS GBNEXUS - INNOVATIVE SEARCH TOOL HELPING EEU BUSINESSES IN THE UK ADVERTORIAL What is GBnexus? This question can be answered in many different ways but the simplest answer is that it is a business networking platform.

This network provides a means for small and medium-sized companies to be able to promote their businesses both locally and internationally.

You may be wondering whether there is a need for such a service when we have Google?

Indeed, many people use Google to search for local businesses. Essentially, it comes down to how likely it is that your business will show up in the search results, this is all about something called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You can pay to be kept at the top of the search results, but this can prove very costly.

With GBnexus, your company will have the chance to benefit from other companies, just as they will benefit from you. More importantly, you will have the option to improve and maximise your company’s SEO, both in English and other languages.

We aim to improve the chances of connecting small businesses who are not able to spend much to promote their services, with larger companies and everything in between.

The GBnexus platform allows you to add certain information, which will create unique content and, as a result, Google will create a proper indexation and improve your presence on the web.

Any company can register with gbnexus.co.uk and post information in relation to the services they offer. Upon registering, the company fills out all of the necessary information needed to identify it, such as company name, contact person, phone number, logo, address, what services they offer and more.

For example, you are a solicitor and under new regulations, you’re permitted to carry out some freelance work. You need to find any appropriate work but what do you need to do to access this and how will you search for it? Of course, the most popular option would be Linkedin - but what about ordinary people, people who are not users of Linkedin or similar platforms? In such cases, GBnexus is for you.

Bachi Gabunia, CEO

Gbnexus.co.uk is currently available in numerous languages - English, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish - and is set to increase over time. Users can choose from three different packages, Gold, Silver and Economy, depending on both their need and budget.

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THIS MONTH’S GUEST BLOGGER GEORGIA, MY HOME BLOG by Katie Ruth Davies downs. But out of it, though the rosetinted glasses were to slip, I got myself three bright, beautiful half-Georgian children and a happy place in a country I call my homeland: Georgia.

I came to Georgia 13 years ago, brought by love to a country I’d never heard of (NOT the USA, nor, I was fast to learn, part of Russia!), and whose language I was to stumble over for many a year.

I moved in with my fiance’s Georgian family, suffered their pains as my future father-in-law succumbed to an illness which none of the numerous doctors of the time could diagnose (it turned out to be a simply cyst, and a big failing of a healthcare system which has since very much improved!), celebrated family weddings, gorged on many delicious feasts while surrounded by lovers of too much wine and chacha, and went through a corrupt and one-sided legal battle with a neighbor over a piece of property which he never legally owned…well, let’s say my time here has seen a lot of ups and

I, like many a foreigner who came for just a few months to explore, have had my heart-strings well and truly grabbed.

Georgia is beautiful. Georgia is my home.

Georgia is rich in nature, and is rightly proud of its spring and medicinal waters, mountain resorts and skiing, fish-filled lakes, wild mountain rivers for rafting on, black-sandy and pebble beaches, grassy desert plains, religious and military ruins, and city nightlife. It is also rightly proud of its history of winemaking, cuisine, craftsmanship, and legends (the Golden Fleece being just one of them). There is much to see and do here; something for all tastes and ages. For those wanting it, it can be a simple, green country, offering nature, relaxation and curative spas. For those looking for culture, budget holidays or adventure, Georgia can be that too.

Numerous world-renowned musicians, opera singers, ballet stars and scientists were born here (pick a celebrity with a

surname ending in “shvili” or “dze” and you’ll likely have a Georgian!), a testament to the depth and variety of the land.

Georgia is not perfect, but few countries are. And it has suffered over the centuries at the hands of its neighbours. But it is still here, still surviving with its sovereignty and identity; still strong. What keeps me here is the beauty of the nature; the warmth of the people; the promise of good things to come as the country develops, grows; as it seeks out its place in the region and the world; carving out a niche for itself in agrotourism, export, and as a regional transport hub.

It’s exciting to live in a country that is ever-changing, reigniting historical strengths and connections in the global context, and forging ahead on its Western path with smart legislative changes that make it easier to start (and do) business, to deal with legal disputes, to claim rights as an employee, woman, or member of a minority community. And it’s devastating when political disputes or a carelessly thrown celebrity comment put a negative spotlight on us in the international arena.

But in my 13 years here, living under two governments that were both sure in their desire for progress and a Western direction for the country, I can see the forward motion Westwards, and that gives me the confidence to stay and raise my children here.

So what do I do in Georgia? I started out, as many do abroad, teaching English as a foreign language, having trained in the field a few years prior. I then slipped into editing for various civil bodies and private companies, and was picked out to be the new Editor-in-Chief of the Georgia Today newspaper and website in 2014.

Seven years on, and with no small thanks to owner George Sharashidze and the

team around us, we have launched a new design newspaper, a new website, and a business round-up magazine called GT Business. An independent news agency, our aim is to bring the latest local and regional news, with a sprinkling of international highlights, to the Englishspeaking community: to those living here, holidaying here, doing business here, investing here, and those abroad keeping an eye on us with fond memories of their time here.

Like Made in Georgia, in my work at Georgia Today, my aim is to promote awareness of Georgia’s strengths, while being transparent about those areas still needing development, so as to perhaps nudge into action those who have the power to make the needed changes for a better society, region and world.

I also work to promote Georgia in my hobbies- ceramics painting. Last year, I teamed up with Master Potter Givi Tatulashvili, who has a studio in Stalin’s birth-town of Gori, and began decorating his various works- from bowls and vases to cups and wine jugs. I paint on these the works of renowned Georgian artists, such as late primitive artist Niko Pirosmanishvili (Pirosmani), ancient Georgian Tablecloth and church ornamentation, and, more recently, the images pressed into silver by 19th century Tbilisian silversmiths. In this way, with these future souvenirs I’m painting, when the borders once again see tourists queuing up to get in and grab their own unforgettable memories of this amazing country, I hope to be able, in some small part, to do my bit to keep Georgia in their hearts when they leave.

Or perhaps they’ll fall in love and choose to stay, just as I did.

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EXPLORE GEORGIA GURIA: GEORGIA’S WILD WEST Guria is situated in western Georgia along the Black Sea coast and bordered

by Adjara, Samegrelo, Imereti, and Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is divided into plains, coastline, and mountain ranges, so, like Adjara, it features mountain peaks that meet the sea with temperate and subtropical zones that give Guria unique characteristics. It holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Georgians, who will often refer to it as their “wild-west”. This is partly due to Gurians being excellent horse riders who went on to star in the Wild West Shows of Buffalo Bill, but primarily due to the reputation Gurians have throughout Georgia. In fact, whenever you meet someone in Georgia who is sensitive or of a certain temperament, people will often say that person is Gurian. Gurians are famous for their temperament and sense of humor.

Guria is the smallest region in Georgia, as well as the least visited. Gurians definitely march to the beat of their own drum; they have their own style of polyphony, a unique dialect, their own traditions, folklore, wine, and food.

Visiting Guria is like being a world apart within Georgia.

Guria is characterised by a humid subtropical climate along the coasts and plains, with hot summers and mild winters, while inland and in the mountains, there are hot summers and cold, snowy winters, which make Guria a lovely place for hiking and outdoor activities in general. In one day, you can travel from snowy mountains to a magnetic sandy beach within a few hours. It’s a region with natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and hospitable people. One of the best places to visit to get a sense of the geographical diversity in Guria is the view from Shemokmedi Monastery, which is 7 kilometers from Ozurgeti, the capital city of Guria. The monastery is a simple Georgian church with magnificent views. The main church was built in the 12th century and contains beautiful frescoes that the monks are fighting against time to preserve.

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A Name of Beauty Driving through Guria, one cannot but be overwhelmed by the purity of the air and the natural beauty. In late spring, the air is heavy with the perfume of acacia which grows wild and abundant throughout the hills and valleys. According to local legend, the origin of the name Guria is attributed to its natural beauty. King Shedat wanted to build a heavenly place, a garden of Eden, only for himself because he believed he was a living God. He ordered his servants to travel the world to bring him all the “gurias’’ or beauty. They gathered all the world’s beauty and had to pass through the Caucasus on their way back to him. They found out the king had died and decided to stay in the area with all the world’s beauty they had collected. A more logical explanation is that at one point, Guria was in the center of the kingdom of Colchis, and the Mengrelian word for heart is guri.

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Guria’s Ride or Die Guria’s acrobatic horse riders were famous throughout the Russian empire.

In 1891, recruiter Thomas Oliver came to Georgia to find riders for the Buffalo Bill Wild West show in England. He was told that the best place to find these riders would be Guria, and so he recruited riders for shows in London and Europe.

The show became so popular that, by 1893, it moved on to the United States for a show at the Chicago World Fair.

These Gurian riders travelled throughout the United States, performing Wild West

shows for over 30 years. They were billed at Cossack riders due to Georgia being a part of the Russian empire and Cossacks’ reputation in the national paradigm. They wore the national chocka, did a routine of tricks on horseback, and it is believed that the reason American cowboy outfits are so outlandish to this day is due in part to the Gurian participation in these shows. Once a year, Gurians show off their horsemanship at the Bakhmaro Horse Festival.

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It’s a Magnetic Place

Ureki beach, Georgia

The Black Sea coast of Adjara and the glitz and glamour of Batumi receive their fair share of attention, but it would be a shame to skip over Guria’s less-visited sandy beaches. Guria boasts several coastal towns and resorts with attractions ranging from amusement parks to spa facilities. Ureki and Shekvetili are famous for their iron-rich magnetic black sands, which are beneficial for joint and cardiovascular health. While there are spa facilities in both towns, to benefit from the magnetic sands, just go to any beach, and bury your whole body in the sand for half an hour. Ureki beach is only one hour from Batumi.

A Breath of Fresh Air Bakhmaro is a mountain resort town known for its curative fresh air. It’s a picturesque town famous for its cozy wooden A-frame houses that are surrounded by forest. It’s a popular place to visit for people who want to escape fast-paced city life and enjoy fresh mountain air, hiking, horseback riding, and a simple nature-focused holiday.

Hiking to the peak of Gadrekili mountain to enjoy awe-inspiring views is one of the most recommended activities. It is famous in the region for its beautiful sunsets and views above the clouds.

Spending time in Bakhmaro takes visitors back to simpler times. Shepherds travel up the mountains in summer with their herds and sell their delicious products to eat that are not found anywhere else. In the winter, Bakhmaro is a perfect winter wonderland.

Bakhmaro, Georgia

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Bird Watching Kolkheti National Park is a national park located in the historical region of the Kingdom of Colchis. It is situated in three regions, including Guria. The wetlands within the park are of particular international importance and are located on the coastal plain on the Black Sea between the Tikori and Supsa rivers and the Paliastomi Lake Reservoir. Over 200 hundred species of migratory birds pass through here in the spring and autumn, including storks, pelicans and various raptors. It is also the home of the Kolkhuri pheasant. It is truly a magnificent place for anyone passionate about birds.

Kolkheti National Park, Georgia Source: sellftravel.ge © “Dani” Publishing

Tea Routes

Tea routes in Guria, Georgia Source: georgiaintrend.com

Though most people traveling to Georgia in search of delicious beverages are seeking out wine, Guria is a diverse region that offers unique wines and a tea tradition that dates back to the 19th century. Guria’s alpine peaks, fertile river valleys, and subtropical areas make it ideal for tea production. After the fall of the USSR, the tea industry collapsed, most of the machinery was sold abroad, tea plantations were abandoned, and farmers could not afford the chemicals they thought they needed to survive. The post-Soviet economy was turbulent. In the 1990s, families supported themselves with subsistence farming. Since the 2010s, there has been renewed interest in this history, and Guria is the heart of Georgia’s tea revival, with organic and self-sustaining tea plantations being restored along with guest houses and welcome centres for visitors to learn about tea production in Guria and sample various kinds of tea.

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Football Not for the Faint of Heart As with most holidays in Guria, Easter is quite different here than in the rest of Georgia. Between the towns of Lanchkhuti and Shukhuti, a game known as Lelo burti is played. It has been compared to rugby, but it bears little resemblance to that ruleabiding sport. Lelo is a game of its own with very few rules, in which rival teams must take a sand and sawdust-filled ball to one of the streams that border the two towns. There is no marked field, punches can and are thrown, and blood is spilled until a player claims victory. The ball is then taken to the grave of a player who died the year before.

Lelo burti Source: National Library of Georgia

Food and Wine As with every region in Georgia, Guria has its own distinctive wine and cuisine.

Gurian khachapuri is crescent moonshaped and filled with local cheese and boiled eggs. Instead of walnuts in sauces or in churchkhela, you will find hazelnut.

As with most Western regions in Georgia, Gurians use aromatic herbs and spices in abundance, and there is always seasonal fruit on the table. Gurian wine is quite unique, not just in Georgia, but around the world. Due to the subtropical weather, it is pretty common for Gurian vignerons to train their vines up tall poles or even trees to provide airflow and prevent fungal growth. Gurian maranis (cellars) are often outside, with the qvevri buried under a grove of trees rather than in an indoor or underground cellar.

By Sarah May Grunwald Issue2 / May 2021 / 46

Publisher & Founder: Bachi Gabunia Editorial Team: Editor-In-Chief: Tamzin Whitewood Journalists & Writers: Jonathan Campion Maya Zedelashvili-Nichols Nini Dakhundaridze Emil Avdaliani Sarah May Grunwald Vazha Tavberidze Layout / Design: Khatia Chitorelidze Social Media Manager: Mari Berelidze Marketing Enquiries: marketing@madeingeorgia.co.uk Address: Units 14 - 15 Rotherhithe Business Estate, 214 Rotherhithe New Road, London, SE16 3EH