Gela Charkviani
Encyclopedia
Gela Charkviani is Georgian
diplomat, educator and television personality. He is currently the Georgia
n ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland
.
Gela Charkviani was born in Tbilisi
in 1939 into the family of Candide Charkviani
, a leader of the Georgian Communist Party who had been accused in the Mingrelian Affair
under Stalin, and his ophthalmologist wife Tamar Jaoshvili. He studied architecture at the Georgian Polytecnic University and eventually graduated from the Chavchavadze Institute of Foreign Languages. Gela Charkviani's post-graduate studies included a semester at the University of Michigan
, Ann Arbour in 1970, a period regarded as the peak of the Youth Revolution in the US. The time spent at Ann Arbour, in Charkviani's opinion, has caused a major shift in his worldview.
For 25 years thereafter Gela Charkviani taught English
and later on, Sociology
at the Chavchavadze Foreign Languages Institute and Tbilisi State University
. From 1976 to 1994 he anchored the Georgian TV's monthly "Globe" program featuring profiles of the world nations. His five-part documentary "Georgians in the Kremlin" was aired by Rustavi-2 TV in September/October 2004.
From 1984 to 1992 Gela Charkviani was Vice-President of the Georgian
Society for Cultural Relations.
Also, during the 1980s and early 1990s, Gela Charkviani served as a liaison between the U.S. State of Georgia and the Georgian Republic, notably working with the Atlanta (Georgia)-based Friendship Force organization, which coordinated visits between citizens of both Georgians. During that time he also assisted Loralee Cooley, a professional storyteller then based in Atlanta Georgia and Anderson South Carolina, in collecting Georgian folk tales during her visit to Tbilisi in November 1989. Later, in the early 1990s, he travelled with a group of Tbilisi performing artists to Atlanta, when they presented samplings of a traditional "Tbilisoba" festival for the enjoyment of U S Georgians.
From 1992 to 2003 Charkviani was Chief Foreign Policy
Adviser to President Shevardnadze.
In 2005 President Saakashvili appointed him his spokesperson and in 2006 Ambassador
of Georgia
to the UK and Ireland
.
Of the many interests he has pursued for pleasure and relaxation music
has remained central through Charkviani's life. A CD of his Piano Miniatures was released in 2001, followed in 2006 by that of his early work: a musical Nargiza and the Nonstop Luxury Express (1974).
In the summer of 2008 a book of texts of some of Charkviani's public appearances in his various capacities over the eleven-year period from 1997 to 2008 was released (in English). The book touches upon a considerable variety of issues widely regarded as significant for the newly independent nations of Eurasia
and provides vital clues for today's state of affairs in the region.
Gela's son Irakli Charkviani
was an influential Georgian musician and writer.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
diplomat, educator and television personality. He is currently the Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
n ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Gela Charkviani was born in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
in 1939 into the family of Candide Charkviani
Candide Charkviani
Candide Charkviani was Georgian party and government official, First secretary of the Communist Party of Georgia from 1938-1952. [1]-Early life:...
, a leader of the Georgian Communist Party who had been accused in the Mingrelian Affair
Mingrelian Affair
The Mingrelian Affair, or Mingrelian Case was a series of criminal cases fabricated in 1951 and 1952 in order to accuse several members of the Georgian SSR Communist Party of Mingrelian extraction of secession and collaboration with the Western powers....
under Stalin, and his ophthalmologist wife Tamar Jaoshvili. He studied architecture at the Georgian Polytecnic University and eventually graduated from the Chavchavadze Institute of Foreign Languages. Gela Charkviani's post-graduate studies included a semester at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, Ann Arbour in 1970, a period regarded as the peak of the Youth Revolution in the US. The time spent at Ann Arbour, in Charkviani's opinion, has caused a major shift in his worldview.
For 25 years thereafter Gela Charkviani taught English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and later on, Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at the Chavchavadze Foreign Languages Institute and Tbilisi State University
Tbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University , better known as Tbilisi State University , is a university established on 8 February 1918 in Tbilisi, Georgia. TSU is the oldest university in the whole Caucasus region...
. From 1976 to 1994 he anchored the Georgian TV's monthly "Globe" program featuring profiles of the world nations. His five-part documentary "Georgians in the Kremlin" was aired by Rustavi-2 TV in September/October 2004.
From 1984 to 1992 Gela Charkviani was Vice-President of the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
Society for Cultural Relations.
Also, during the 1980s and early 1990s, Gela Charkviani served as a liaison between the U.S. State of Georgia and the Georgian Republic, notably working with the Atlanta (Georgia)-based Friendship Force organization, which coordinated visits between citizens of both Georgians. During that time he also assisted Loralee Cooley, a professional storyteller then based in Atlanta Georgia and Anderson South Carolina, in collecting Georgian folk tales during her visit to Tbilisi in November 1989. Later, in the early 1990s, he travelled with a group of Tbilisi performing artists to Atlanta, when they presented samplings of a traditional "Tbilisoba" festival for the enjoyment of U S Georgians.
From 1992 to 2003 Charkviani was Chief Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
Adviser to President Shevardnadze.
In 2005 President Saakashvili appointed him his spokesperson and in 2006 Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
to the UK and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Of the many interests he has pursued for pleasure and relaxation music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
has remained central through Charkviani's life. A CD of his Piano Miniatures was released in 2001, followed in 2006 by that of his early work: a musical Nargiza and the Nonstop Luxury Express (1974).
In the summer of 2008 a book of texts of some of Charkviani's public appearances in his various capacities over the eleven-year period from 1997 to 2008 was released (in English). The book touches upon a considerable variety of issues widely regarded as significant for the newly independent nations of Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
and provides vital clues for today's state of affairs in the region.
Gela's son Irakli Charkviani
Irakli Charkviani
Irakli Charkviani was a Georgian poet, prose writer, and musician, lately known under his pseudonym Mefe...
was an influential Georgian musician and writer.