Georgia Today Education - Issue 011

EDUCATION Issue no: 011

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• NOVEMBER 2017

• PUBLISHED MONTHLY

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In this issue...

English is the Future!

European School & British Council Announce Partnership PAGE 3

Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy Students at the Global Robotics Challenge

FOCUS

PAGE 4

Branding Your Class

ON MODERN INNOVATION

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In this issue we look at the latest plans to support entrepreneurs and how youth are being encouraged to learn through reading and doing! Read about this and more inside!

Georgian Actor Merab Ninidze to Star in New BBC Series PAGE 15

Swedish, Polish FMs Support Georgia’s European Aspirations

BY THEA MORRISON

T

he Swedish Foreign Minister (FM), Margot Wallstrom and the FM of Poland, W i t o l d Wa s z c zykowski, visited Georgia on November 14, ahead the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit, to express their support of Georgia’s European aspirations, Georgia’s sovereignty and independence and to praise the reforms implemented in the country.

“Sweden will stay a very firm supporter of Georgia’s European aspi-

rations and continued European integration,” the Swedish Foreign Minister said. “As a progressive member of the Eastern Partnership, Georgia inspires democratic reform and the fight against corruption in the region. It has been extremely successful, and this is recognized by the reports we make on the situation and the state of play when it comes to democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”

Wallstrom added that the Georgian government’s reforms are reflected not only in EU reports but are also recognized by the Georgian people who are already benefiting from the tangible results.

Polish FM Waszczykowski stated

that the EaP Summit will adopt a joint communique, which will offer Georgia a greater prospect for rapprochement with the EU. “You should expect from the EaP unconditional support to Georgian ambitions to be part of the European Union, to be part of all institutions created in the western part of Europe,” he said.

The 5th EaP summit will take place

in Brussels on November 24. Heads of state or government from the EU member states and the six Eastern partner countries will discuss mutual cooperation.

They will also look at what has been achieved since the last summit in Riga in 2015, focusing on the tangible benefits delivered to the citizens of the six Eastern Partnership countries.

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PM: Gov’t Supports Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovations Info Box The initial foundation for the term ‘knowledge economy’ was introduced in 1966 in the book The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker. In this book, Drucker described the difference between the manual worker and the knowledge worker. The manual worker, according to him, works with his or her hands and produces goods or services. In contrast, a knowledge worker works with his or her head, not hands, and produces ideas, knowledge, and information.

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

T

he Georgian Prime Minister (PM), Giorgi Kvirikashvili has again stated that the promotion of entrepreneurship, business and innovations is one of the main priorities of the government.

He made the statement on November 12 at Tech Park Tbilisi at the opening ceremony of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The PM thanked the US Embassy and Ambassador Ian Kelly for starting and financing a year-long program that connects experienced mentors with young people and business representatives, and that offers different activities that will

give young people innovative ideas for their businesses.

“We want economic development and a knowledge-based economy,” the PM said, giving as examples the Georgian Innovations and Technologies Agency (GITA), and projects ‘Produce in Georgia’ and ‘Startup Georgia,’ that promote innovations and entrepreneurship in the country.

The Prime Minister also talked about the reform of the education system within which special emphasis is placed on the STEM fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and also Information Technology.

He explained that undergraduate and graduate programs, in collaboration with the University of San Diego, enable Georgian students to

get higher education and American academic degrees in these fields.

Kvirikashvili also spoke about Global Entrepreneurship Week, noting that promoting women’s education in the STEM spheres and digital economy is vital for the development of any state.

“I want to encourage female students and future entrepreneurs to stay ambitious!” he said.

At the event, US Ambassador Kelly handed Kvirikashvili a replica of the Voyager Golden Record that contains 116 images and a variety of sounds, among them Georgian folk song Chakrulo.

The items were selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan, after which one of the rooms at Tech Park has been named (See GTE October 2017).

The Voyager Golden Record replica will be exhibited in Tech Park.

“I would like to thank the US embassy and NASA for such an amazing gift,” the PM stated.

The US Embassy and partner

organizations promoted innovation and entrepreneurship from November 12-18 within the framework of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2017.

This year’s theme, ‘Women First, Prosperity for All,’ highlights the importance of women-led businesses and female-friendly working environments.

The US Embassy will also launch a year-long business mentorship program for women and men from all regions of Georgia to develop business skills.

American entrepreneur Betsy Fore, known for her work with Hasbro and Mattel, will also run a series of workshops and lectures in Tbilisi, Batumi, Khashuri, Marneuli and Akhmeta, focusing on product development, marketing, branding, and intellectual property.

The event brings together more than 10 million participants from all over the world: entrepreneurs, investors, politicians, researchers and educators specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation.

What’s That?

Knowledge-based economy – where education and information technology are used to generate income for the country Mentor – personal teacher Emphasis – focus Collaboration – working with Encourage – push someone to do something Replica – copy, not the original Highlights – focus on

Food for Thought  What is good (or bad) about having a knowledge-based economy in Georgia?  What are your ambitions? What could you do to make your town/village/country a better place?

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English is the Future! European School & British Council Announce Partnership Info Box

BY JOSEPH BLAKE

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n November 3, the European School and the British CouncilGeorgia signed a three-year partnership agreement that launched a joint “English Language Teaching and Learning Project”. The project includes a variety of activities such as face-toface and online training sessions for the school’s faculty and students’ projects and competitions. The goal is to increase and enhance each participant’s motivation, confidence, sense of achievement, and progress in mastery of the English language.

“Schools need to personalize the learning experiences to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed and to better understand the increasing cultural diversity in their classrooms and differences in learning styles,” said Sophia

Bazadze, Academic Director of the European School. “At the European School, the quality of our approach is at the heart of our mission and guiding principles. We encourage strong leadership by supporting our students and teachers as a community of learners. We focus on the professional development of our teacher strengths and student outcomes in the classroom. The British Council is an acknowledged leader in English education. They teach to the highest standards and have a unique background in teacher professional development.”

“Georgian is a very beautiful language,” said Justin McKenzie Smith, Her Majesty’s Ambassador at the British Embassy. “It is a very historic language. I understand the importance it has for Georgia…[but] it is going to be more important than ever that you have the right tools of communication, the most important of which will be [the]

What’s That?

Enhance – make better, improve Achievement – something you have done well Diversity – differences Encourage – push someone to do or be something Outcomes – results Acknowledged – recognized, well-known Confidant – sure Beacon – inspiration Tolerance – open-mindedness, acceptance [of people who are different from you] Conquered – took control of

The English language dates back to the 5th century, when Germanic tribes invaded Britain and their languages combined to form Old English. The earliest form of English looks very different from our modern form, but the two share a number of words and roots of words. In 1066, the Normans conquered England and brought with them a form of French.

Many French words, along with some Latin, were mixed in with Old English, and Middle English was born. With the advent of printing in the 16th century, English became standardized. The Industrial Revolution created a need for more words, and British colonization led to the adoption of many foreign words. These factors made Modern English as we know it today.

Of the world’s approximately 7.5 billion inhabitants, 1.5 billion speak English: that’s 20% of the Earth’s population.

However, most of those people aren’t native English speakers. About 360 million people speak English as their first language.

English language. I’m pleased to see this new partnership between Georgia, Tbilisi’s European School and the British Council. These are connections not just for today or tomorrow, but for the future. And through these connections I am confidant Georgia will succeed.”

Zaza Purtseladze, the British Council Director stated, “It’s a great honor for the British Council to sign this agreement with the European School. We expect a very exciting and intensive year of changes and challenges… Teaching and learning is always connected with development and progress... English is the key to future opportunities for Georgian citizens in Georgia and around

the world. It is the language of science, of aviation, computers, diplomacy, and tourism.” He concluded by stating, “Our aim is that this program will be a beacon of teaching and learning excellence, both in Georgia and around the wider region. We couldn’t be more excited to get started!”

Currently the European School enrolls students from 23 different nationalities and shares, embraces, and emphasizes global studentcentered values which include cultural diversity, tolerance, and integration as members of the European family. The European School’s vision is “A new road to Europe based on Georgian national values.”

Food for Thought  How do you use English now? How will you use it in future?

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Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy Students at the Global Robotics Challenge Info Box The International Robotics Challenge seeks to “inspire science and technology leadership and innovation in young people from all nations in order to increase understanding, impress the importance of cooperation, address the world’s most pressing issues, and improve quality of life for all”.

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

O

rganized by First Global, every year the International Robotics Challenge invites one team from every country to build robots in 14 Grand Challenges. It brings together youth from all around the globe, from different backgrounds, speaking different languages and representing different cultures. It is held in a different country every year and each year has a different theme. For the 2017 Grand Challenge, the theme was: Providing access to clean water.

This summer, four of the Guivy Zaldastanishvili American Academy in Tbilisi students: Elene Bakhtadze, Rezi Bakuradze, Andria Uplisashvili and Givi Darchia, and three students from other schools - Levan Chikaidze, Team Captain, and Anastasia Iosebashvili from I. Vekua School 42, and Sophio Bregadze, Komarom School, participated in the Global Robotics Challenge that was held in July 2017, in Washington, USA. GEORGIA TODAY met them and their teacher to find out more.

“Rezi came to school one day with the description of the Global Challenge 2017 competition and asked if we could take part. Since we had to represent Georgia, we invited students from other schools to join us for the challenge. We had 25 students from our school, Komarov

Public School and Ilia Vekua Public School, but at the end just 10 students were left,” said Ilia Mestvirishvili, physics teacher and supervisor of the Georgian team.

“Each team had to construct a robot following a special manual which showed the hardware and software for the robot and the task the robot should be used for, though teams were free to choose the design,” he says.

The team built five robots with different designs, staying at school even in summer until late evening to work on their robots, which had to select, collect and store blue and red balls (red ones for contaminated water and blue representing clean water). All of it had to be done cooperating with partner robots, and competing with another team of three robots. The winner was chosen according to the highest amount of red and blue balls collected in two and a half minutes,” Ilia explains.

Georgia came 14th place from 164.

“All the feedback on our robots was very positive,” Ilia says. “But the biggest win was that our students got to see and experience so much and it’s thanks to their efforts and enthusiasm they were chosen for

What’s That?

Challenge – something that is difficult to do Participated – joined, took part Manual – a technical book explaining how things work (ex. A car manual) Task – job, activity Contaminated – dirty, not safe to use Cooperating – working STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math the Global Robotics Challenge.

Most importantly, their interest towards the STEM sphere has grown, and I hope this sphere will be developed more in Georgia.”

“It was a great experience for me, because I’m very interested in STEM subjects,” says Givi Darchia, a 12th grade student at American Academy. “Participating in the Global Robotics Challenge gave me a chance to test myself. The biggest challenge was building the robot, as there were a lot of tiny details that we had to consider,” he says.

Elene Bakhtadze, Givi’s classmate and team-member, says it was dif-

Food for Thought  What problems exist in YOUR community? How can you fix them?  If you had a robot, what would you program it to do?

ficult to consider everyone’s point of view while working on the robot construction. “We were changing the design constantly,” she said. “I want to study engineering. It was fantastic to meet other students also interested in the field and I hope when I continue my studies in the US, I’ll meet them again and then, when we become professionals, we’ll be working together solving global problems. There are so many problems in the world to solve and physicians and engineers are the ones who can do something.

Contaminated water is one of the biggest problems the world is facing, and although it may not affect us here, it should certainly be addressed sooner rather than later,” Elene told us.

Both Givi and Elene said they are looking forward to the 2018 Global challenge which will be in Mexico, where they will introduce an invention which may someday change the world.

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FINANCIAL LITERACY Presented by

Branding Your Class Info Box

A

brand is a combination of a word, a name, a symbol and design which characterizes a certain product or a company and makes it different from others.

For example, FINCA Bank: “wine red” is the corporate color of FINCA Bank; a tree is the symbol of FINCA Bank and FINCA Bank is the name of the company and its logo.

When it comes to branding, the power of color is both emotional and practical. On an emotional level, it can affect how consumers feel when they look at a brand, while on a practical level it can help a brand stand out from the crowd.

A number of studies on the relationship between color and branding reveal that up to 90% of decisions about products are based on color alone.

Before you make your class brand, check out what the colors mean!

There are brands everywhere you look- in the streets, on TV, on the things you buy in a shop. Write down the ones you can think of.

It is important to use branding when you want to sell a product.

Here is an explanation of branding from top French brander Landor.

Recently, my son asked me: “Daddy, what do you do at your job?”

I tell him, “I work in a place that draws things on the products peo- ple buy, like the wrapper on a chocolate bar or the emblem on a car. I work for brands. I help make them stronger.”

You can probably guess my son’s next question: “Daddy, what’s a Combination – mix brand?”

Corporate color – the color that symbolizes the company I give him a few examples and tell Wrapper – cover, packet him you will remember the brands you love more than others. In other Emblem – logo words, great brands are like friends.

What’s That?

Food for Thought

They’re unique, understand me better than anyone else, I respect and trust them, I know almost everything about them. Brands have to keep trying to understand their customers and give them what they need.

ADAPTED FROM THE FINCA BANK BOOK FOR SCHOOLS and https:// landor.com/thinking/branding-explainedto-a-child

 Which word, symbol or drawing describes the character of your class best? Discuss and work together on your class’s branding, choose a name and symbol and draw it here:

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8000-year-old Wine-Making Evidence Found in Georgia: Oldest in the World!

BY TOM DAY & NINO GUGUNISHVILI

S

cientists say that wine jars, dating back to 6000BC, have been unearthed in the villages of Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveris Gora, about 50km south of Tbilisi.

This evidence is now the earliest example of winemaking in the world, pre-dating 7000-year-old specimens found in north-western Iran.

Eight large ceramic jars were found to have residual wine compounds,

Info Box The results of the study were published in an article: ‘Early Neolithic Wine of Georgia in the South Caucasus’, in which scientists from Georgia, the US, France, Italy, Canada, Denmark and Israel presented the project findings. The chemical analyses of ancient organic compounds found in pottery fragments from sites in Georgia date back to the early Neolithic period 6,000-5000 BC, thus being the earliest biomolecular archaeological evidence for grape wine and viniculture from the Near East.

What’s That?

Unearthed – dug up from the ground Specimens – examples Residual compounds – parts left Domestication – changing from wild-growing to controlled by humans Mind-altering substance – affects the way you think or behave Fermented – left in a pot to age and gain flavor Acknowledged – recognized, understood Findings – results Fragments – pieces

researchers said. Some of the jars had images of grape bunches and of a man dancing.

The discovery of these jars was published on November 13 in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)’.

“We believe this is the oldest example of the domestication of a wildgrowing Eurasian grapevine solely for the production of wine,” said co-author and senior researcher Stephen Batiuk.

“Wine is central to civilization as we know it. As a medicine, social lubricant, mind-altering substance and highly valued product, wine became the focus of religious cults, cuisines, economies and society in the ancient Near East.”

Batiuk added that the wine was probably made in a similar way to methods used today, “where the grapes are crushed and the fruit, stems and seeds are all fermented together”.

“Very intensive work has been done by the group of international scientists, and I’m sure everyone is very happy that the research is finished, and that it was acknowledged that the oldest wine was discovered in Georgia. We have a chance to positively introduce our country internationally in this regard,” Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili said.

“I’m sure this scientific work will continue, and we’ll discover more interesting facts on wine making traditions and wine in Georgia,” the Prime Minister added.

Food for Thought  How can Georgia use the news to bring more tourists and scientists to Georgia?

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Teaching Kids about Real Jobs Info Box

BY KATIE RUTH DAVIES

O

n November 13, the children of the 5-6-year-old group of Tbilisi Kindergarten 162 (from Okrokhana village in the suburbs of Tbilisi), went to Carrefour supermarket as the exciting end to a school project about markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, produce and jobs.

GEORGIA TODAY went with them and spoke to Kindergarten Director Nino Tsiklauri as two groups of children were shown around by entertaining staff. During the ‘tour’, the children were asked to name the products and to talk about their favorites and about the health benefits of eating certain foods, such as fish and fruit. The children also got to watch tone bread being made and to meet the serving staff.

“At our kindergarten, we always finish our projects with an outing related to the theme,” Tsiklauri told us. “When we focused on books, we went to the Sulakauri publishing house; when we talked about technology, we went to meet robot Pepper. We also go to museums, the Childrens’ Theater to watch plays, and to other places for the children to get some practical experience related to what we’re teaching them in the classroom. In future, I’m plan-

ning on taking the children to Pirimdze to show them the jobs that people do there.”

Pirimze is a center offering shoe/ bag repairs, ateliers, key cutting and other practical jobs that we need in everyday life. “We want to show the children that there is more to the concept of work than ‘an office job’, that there are many other respectable jobs out there,” Nino tells us.

When they finished the supermarket tour, the children gave a 15-minute concert for staff, parents and shoppers, including songs and a small ballet dance.

“We were very glad to welcome these children to our store,” Nino Ramishvili, PR Manager, Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets Georgia LLC (Carrefour), told GEORGIA TODAY. “It’s a great idea for children to see different professions in action, people actually working in different jobs. Letting children see such things from an early age is important. We often work with disabled children and we have playgrounds in some of our stores. We work with the Ministry of Education, kindergartens and schools to do something fun for children. One of our company missions is ‘To create great moments for everyone, every day in our stores,’ and I feel today is a great example of that”.

Tsiklauri echoed the sentiment, as

What’s That?

Suburbs – near the city Entertaining – interesting, made the children smile Outing – small excursion Practical experience – learning by doing Repairs – fix, mend

The general concept of learning through experience is ancient. Around 350 BCE, Aristotle wrote “for the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them”. In the 1970s, David A. Kolb helped to develop the modern theory of experiential learning, drawing on the work of John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget.

Experiential learning has significant teaching advantages.

Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline (1990), says that teaching should motivate people: Learning only has good effects when learners want to absorb the knowledge. the children sat in the Carrfour Cafe eating a feast of pastries, cupcakes and marshmallows. “The children have really enjoyed themselves

today, and come away with new experiences. I think the staff enjoyed it, too, looking at the smiles on their faces!”

Food for Thought  Do you study only from textbooks or do you also do practical work? Which helps you learn better?  Why is “learning through doing” so good?  Make a plan. Think about what you are studying in school now and decide how your class can do something practical related to it in your community.

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Interior Ministry Says Road Accidents Reduced by 14% in 2017

BY THEA MORRISON

T

he Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia reports that in 2017, for the first time in the last ten years, the number of traffic accidents reduced.

From January to October 2017, traffic accidents decreased by 14% compared to the same period in 2016.

And there was more great news: the number of road-related deaths decreased by 7% and the number of people injured went down by 12% in those 10 months.

The MIA say they are continuing a long-term program for the reduction and prevention of road accidents in Georgia, which includes technological reform, legislative changes and social campaigns.

“Within the framework of the program, on July 1, 2017, amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses started. Drivers now lose points on their licenses if they break the law of the road and smart cameras are on the streets so bad drivers get video fines.

What’s That?

Reduced – went down Injured – hurt Prevention – stop something from happening Campaigns – projects to tell people news Amendments – changes Fines – money you must pay when you break the law Crashes – collision, when a car hits something/someone Pedestrians – people walking on the street

Food for Thought  Why do drivers sometimes drive dangerously?  How can YOU make yourself safer: a) When you’re in a car? b) When you’re on the street?  Make some “Road Safety’ posters to explain how to walk and drive on the road.

Info Box • Each year, 1.25 million people are killed on roads around the world.

• Each day, an estimated 3,400 people are killed globally in road traffic crashes involving cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, or pedestrians. 50% of those people killed in crashes are pedestrians, motorcyclists, and cyclists.

• Road traffic injuries are the top 8 leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death for young people aged 15–29.

• By 2030, road traffic injuries will become the 7th leading cause of death globally.

• Road traffic injuries cost a lot of money: $518 billion globally and $65 billion in low-income and middle-income countries, exceeding the total amount received in development assistance.

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Tbilisi: Coolest Emerging City in Eastern Europe

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

T

bilisi is the focus of the current issue of W magazine, with an article by Gillian Sagansky: “What Life is Like in Tbilisi, Eastern Europe’s Coolest City”. The photographs by Julien Boudet catch the everyday life of Georgia’s capital, featuring some of its buildings, streets, and young people.

“There is nothing more exciting than when a city finds its beat for the first time. The Parisian avantgarde of the ‘20s, the San Franciscan

beatniks of the ‘50s, and the East Berlin ravers of the ‘90s. Now it’s Tbilisi’s turn, the coolest emerging city you most likely never heard of. Sandwiched between Azerbaijan, Russia, Armenia, and the Black Sea, the Georgian capital was exonerated from Soviet rule in 1992, and has been gaining steam for its cultural events and underground scene,” Sagansky writes, saying, “Tbilisi is in the middle of a transition with the help of artists and creatives, who come to the city for inspiration.”

Photographer Julien Boudet captured the city spirit in his photos at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi for several years.

What’s That?

Issue – edition (Ten issues of this newspaper are printed every year) Article – newspaper story Featuring – showing Beat – musical rhythm Emerging – growing, becoming more popular Exonerated – released, freed from Gaining steam – getting faster Transition – change

Info Box Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi is Georgia’s premier fashion event offering an international platform for designers from the region to connect with media and buyers. The event will increase domestic awareness of homegrown fashion and increase the global presence of Georgian design, while highlighting the culture and sophisticated glamor that solidify Tbilisi as a style capital where east meets west.

Food for Thought  Research what the avant-garde, beatniks and ravers were. Describe the style and say which is your favorite and why.

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Tbilisi Book Days 2017 Info Box Tbilisi Book Days 2017 is a joint project of the Book Art Center Tbilisi, and Expo Georgia.

The idea of the project is to expand the format of the Tbilisi International Book Festival. In addition to the traditional trade book fair, Tbilisi Book Days offers an extensive cultural, educational and entertainment program to Georgian readers: international workshops and exhibitions, public lectures, children’s events, readings and discussions.

said Tina Laghidze, PR and Media Communications Manager of Expo Georgia. etween November 9-12, Among the events that took place ‘Expo Georgia’ exhibition center hosted Tbilisi Book Days 2017, an event supported by the Georgian Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection.

Over four days, Expo hosted leading local and regional publishing houses, as well as research laboratories, bookshops and distributors.

Book Days are held every year.

This year, over 54 publishing houses took part. There were many events for children and adults. The Georgian National Museum gave presentations in the kids’ corner, and the Academy of Thinking ‘Leterato’ discussed ‘Catcher in the Rye’ by Jerome Salinger.

“There was also a discussion on Richard Bach’s ‘Jonathan Livingston Seagull’, and what benefits logical thinking brings. The main news, as always, was the new books themselves, as well as the new authors, who made presentations,”

BY MAKA LOMADZE

B

Food for Thought  Do you think it’s good for children to read fairytales?

What can they learn from them?  How are the Disney versions of fairytales different from the original stories?  Georgia is the Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2018. How should it present itself? What makes Georgia special or unique?

within the framework of the Book Days was the Book Art Festival, this year highlighting photo-books, many of which were made by Georgian photographers. “Photo-books are a new concept for Georgia,” said Otar Karalashvili, Curator of the Book Art festival.

Data Patatishvili, 21, is one of the youngest photographers to have

world-famous Polish graphic design exposition as well as ‘Street’ photography by self-taught photographer Gigo Karalashvili.

The most famous Swiss Publishing house has translated 21 Georgian fairytales into German in a compilation called, ‘The King Never Smiles.’ This will be presented at the International Frank-

What’s That?

Benefits – positive things Highlighting – focusing on Fairytales – fantasy stories for children Compilation – collection Upcoming – future Boosted – increased

made a photo-book. “This is my first photo-book. At first, I didn’t plan to present my photos in a book, but I wanted to communicate better with my audience and so decided to try.”

His photo-book is called ‘A Rare Hike on the Circle’. “I’ve tried to transmit what the human perceptions are of people, our surrounding environment and objects,” Data said.

Among the exhibitions was a

furt Book Fair 2018, where Georgia will be Guest of Honor.

By the end of 2018, Georgia plans to publish the English translation of the same Georgian fairytales in New York, too. The upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair has boosted the translation process and, according to the Georgian National Book Center, the number of Georgian books that were translated in 2017 was the same amount as in the last ten years combined.

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Photo by: Nika Kamarauli

British Author Launches Book 4 of Vampire Saga, Discusses Latest Book Set in Georgia

BY TAMZIN WHITEWOOD

I

t is now an annual tradition for author Katie Ruth Davies to launch a book in Georgia at Halloween, an event her fans look forward to from the moment they get to the last page of the previous book.

“There are five books in the Blood Omen vampire saga,” Katie told us.

“I was happy to see so many fans here tonight, and I know so many more wanted to come. It’s an issue about having a teenage audience, because their parents still dictate their lives so much!” [laughs] “We had a lot of fun: a quiz, Halloween make-up, cake and music. It was nice to have a chance to meet my fans face-to-face, though we’re often in touch on Facebook, talking about their favorite characters and the story”.

We asked Katie about her series, and why it appeals so much to teen fans in Georgia.

“It was one of the first vampire sagas to be translated into Georgian, even before The Vampire Diaries.

Translator Ana Chichinadze has done a great job bringing the stories over from English. What fans love most is that the story pulls them in right from the start: they feel like they’re part of the plot and can relate to and sympathize with the characters.”

“This is a fantasy series, and one I’ve been obsessed with since it first came out,” said Giorgi Muzashvili, 17, fan of the saga and editor of Blood Omen 4. “The fourth is the best in the series so far. I started reading in May, when I should’ve been busy preparing for my exams. I wanted to read and edit it gradually, but as soon as I opened it, I got lost in the

story. When I finished two days later, I was sitting speechless for ages,” he told GEORGIA TODAY. “Of course, the previous books were just as incredible, but this one was more than a book: the twists in the story totally changed my attitude towards the characters. The Blood Omen Saga is made up of many genres: mythology, fantasy, romance… and in the fourth book we also see some elements of sci-fi”.

Katie started writing the Blood Omen Saga when she lived in Barcelona 12 years ago, though the plot happens in the UK. Ten years since moving to Georgia, however, she found inspiration in her new home.

“The fifth and last book of the Blood Omen Saga will come out in Georgian next year. In the meantime, I’m working on a two-book series dedicated to my Georgian fans. Dark Wings is set in Georgia and tells the story of a typical Tbilisi teenager, whose mother is Eng-

What’s That?

Look forward to – feel excited about Dictate – decided, control Speechless – unable to speak For ages – for a long time Twists – unexpected changes in the story, surprises Acquaintances – people you know (not as close as friends)

Info Box If you want Katie Davies to come to YOUR school and present her books, send her a message on www.fb.com/ bloodomensaga or contact Georgia Today. lish and father Georgian. She lives in a supernatural world of angels and demons, but, like the Blood Omen vampires, the characters are so believable that it hardly seems like fantasy at all,” Katie tells us.

The first of the Dark Wings series, ‘Angel’, is already being distributed in the UK by MTA Publications and Central Books. Katie says she plans a big launch in the UK next spring, particularly among the Georgian Diaspora there.

The author continues to promote her vampire books in Georgia, presenting in schools and staying active on social media, the “best way to reach teens here”. She occasionally meets uncertainty from school directors when pupils ask them for permission to invite her to their schools.

This is usually for religious reasons or because, as Katie says, “they have the mistaken belief that children should be encouraged to read nothing but classics and academia.” Katie herself is clear on her position in that regard: “My kids will be allowed and encouraged to read a balance of material, as long as they ARE

reading. Inspiration is a great tool for the mind and is something that I’m hoping the Georgian education system will increasingly encourage in its pupils. My eldest daughter’s school didn’t even have a library. I called on my friends and acquaintances and collected over 700 books in six weeks. It’s something every community can do for their local school. Though, then the teachers need to actively encourage the children to use the library effectively and the children themselves to get reading!”

Katie’s presentation of her new book was met with delight from her large array of fans. Aptly named ‘the hottest new author to look out for’, we have little doubt that Katie’s books will continue to increase in popularity with the teen population not just in Georgia, but in the UK too.

You can find the Blood Omen Saga in English on amazon.com and the Georgian version (ვამპირული ომები) in most good Georgian bookshops. Dark Wings can be bought online from mtapublications.co.uk

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EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY

NOVEMBER 2017

Natural Georgian Produce Fair to Go International

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

N

atural Georgian products, united under one brand, are preparing to enter the global

market.

Irakli Chavleishvili, Head of the Project, organized an exhibition and fair of natural Georgian produce at the Event Hall in Tbilisi on November 18.

The event introduced the Gemovani brand to customers, with around 50 Georgian producers participating who had come from across Georgia, bringing their natural products: bread, milk, meat, fruits and vegetables, grains, and more.

“From 2018, we want these fairs to happen weekly, bringing together Georgian produce under the Gemo-

Shushana Beridze a farmer from Ajara, is working on a blueberry field. July 2016.

Photo: Vladimer Valishvili/UNDP

What’s That?

Info Box Georgia’s fertile soil and favorable climate support the production of a wide variety of high-value agricultural products including grapes and wine, nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts, and chestnuts), citrus fruits, apples, peaches, and apricots. Russia traditionally received most of Georgia’s exports but, since 2014 when Georgia signed a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) with the European Union, new European markets are developing. Georgia also grows an increasing quantity of crops, including vegetables and corn, for domestic consumption. Georgia relies on imported powdered milk, meat products, and wheat imports, but does produce some fresh milk domestically.

Brand – the name/logo of a company Global market – sold all around the world Participating – joining in, taking part Weekly – every week Promote – tell people about, make popular vani brand,” Chavleishvili said.

“We want to use the local market as much as possible, and most importantly help to bring back traditional Georgian production methods and promote natural Georgian produce.

The products united under the

Gemovani brand are unique, and the outside world should learn about them. After fixing our place on the local, Georgian, market, we plan to go international,” he said, adding that any farmer with Georgian produce can participate in the project.

Food for Thought  Is the Gemovani fair a good idea? Why?  What is produced in or near your community? Is it a profitable business? Why (not)?

EDUCATION

GEORGIA TODAY NOVEMBER 2017

Georgian Actor Merab Ninidze to Star in New BBC Series

BY NINO GUGUNISHVILI

F

amous Georgian actor Merab Ninidze will star in a new BBC crime drama series ‘McMafia’.

The trailer has already been released.

As www.express.co.uk reports,

McMafia has an international cast.

Merab Ninidze will act with James Norton, David Strathairn, Juliet Rylance, Aleksey Serebryakov and Maria Shukshina. Ninidze will play Vadim Kalyagin, a member of the Russian Mafia.

The McMafia series tells the story of Alex Goldman, the British-born son of an exiled Russian Mafia

Info Box

George Sharashidze COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

Commercial Director: Iva Merabishvili Marketing Manager: Salome Vashalomidze

GEORGIA TODAY

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT:

Editor-In-Chief: Katie Ruth Davies

What’s That?

Released – shown to the public Exiled – sent out of his country Shady – suspicious Straight and narrow – honest life Rocked – affected badly boss, “desperately trying to leave his family’s shady past and mafia links behind him by sticking to the straight and narrow with his girlfriend Rebecca Harper. However, his honest and crime-free life will

be rocked when his family’s past comes back in a terrifying way,” The Express says, quoting the BBC synopsis.

The new series will be broadcast this winter on BBC One.

Food for Thought

Merab Ninidze was born on November 3, 1965 in Tbilisi.

He is an actor, known for Nowhere in Africa (2001), Bumazhnyy Soldat (2008), Bridge of Spies (2015) and Chemi Bednieri Ojakhi (2017).

PUBLISHER & GM

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Journalists: Tony Hanmer, Zaza Jgarkava, Maka Bibilashvili, Dimitri Dolaberidze, Maka Lomadze, Joseph Larsen, Vazha Tavberidze, Nugzar B. Ruhadze, Nino Gugunishvili, Thea Morrison Photographer: Irakli Dolidze

 What’s your favorite TV show? Why?  What makes TV series popular? (Think of one which is very popular in Georgia and one which is popular in the USA and compare them) Website Manager/Editor: Tamzin Whitewood Layout: Misha Mchedlishvili Webmaster: Sergey Gevenov Circulation Managers: David Kerdikashvili, David Djandjgava

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