The ‘Festival of Georgian Regions,’ which was held for the second time on the 6th and 7th of July, aimed to promote the different cultures in the country through wine, cuisines, dances and folklore.
The festival, which was founded by the Tsiskvili Group this year and co-hosted with the Meidan Group brought together both tourists and locals. The festival featured six different regions in Georgia, including Imereti Racha Guria Svaneti Samegrelo Samtskhe Javakheti. Mariam Sagliani from the Tsiskvili Group said that the festival was a way to promote culture and encourage people to explore beyond Tbilisi.
“We are helping people to get to know different parts of Georgia. After this festival, they will be more interested in going there to see the places and mountains with their own eyes,” said Sagliani.
This year, the festival was moved to Meidani Square. It is a touristic hub on Sioni Street in Tbilisi, where many people stop to visit while walking through the Old Town. Sagliani said the ‘Festival of Georgian Regions is for locals and foreigners alike, as they enjoy experiencing their own culture.
She said that it gives locals a good feeling, and the chance to see and hear the music and dance from different regions as well as to taste their cuisine. This is especially important because destinations outside Tbilisi may not be easily accessible for everyone. Sagliani said that some of the guests from Svaneti who attended the festival were almost 90 years old. This showed how much they loved their culture and wanted to share it with others.
“We wanted people from all over the country to be able to experience the culture of our beautiful nation in one place,” Sagliani said, according GEORGIA Today.
The festival began with an opening ceremony on June 6, followed by ensemble performances from Imereti, Samtskhe Javakheti and Svaneti. The second day featured folk music and ensembles from Racha, Guria and Samegrelo. During the concerts the performers wore traditional clothing of their region to allow attendees to see the differences. Around 60 companies were set up on both days. These included winemakers and large and smaller sellers to help transport visitors to other regions in Georgia.
Natia Tsetskhladze, the organizer and representative for Meidan Group in Old Tbilisi, is a real estate developer. She said that nearly 300 Georgian wine were presented at the Festival, as this substance is a key component of Georgian Culture.
She said, “It is our social responsibility as a company to participate in social events such as these throughout the year in order to promote everything Georgian since they are located in the heartland of the city.”
Tsetskhladze stated that they promote wine first and foremost because they are proud to be associated with it and its culture. This pattern is repeated at other events where wine is used as the main representative of Georgia.
The festival had a number of partners, including UN Women Georgia which supported nine female business owners to present their products. Tsetskhladze stated that this was an important aspect of the festival to the Meidan Group.
Tsetskhladze said, “It’s important for us to include entrepreneurs in events like these, especially women entrepreneurs.” “It is important not only for our two businesses, but also for Georgia and its culture.”
The Tsiskvili Group, a large restaurant group in Georgia, was founded in 2002. Sagliani said that in addition to food, they also promote Georgian hospitality, culture, cuisine and folklore. The chain has eight restaurants, two market and a dining theatre where they offer performances, cuisine and food to locals and tourists.
Sagliani said that the owners of Tsiskvili Group have always wanted to create a festival to show the culture of Georgia and preserve its rich heritage.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the City Hall were also festival supporters, as well as partner municipalities from Kutaisi and Oni, Chokhatauri and Akhaltsikhe.
According to Sagliani the festival will continue every year in the hopes that it will grow to represent all six regions. There are over ten different regions in Georgia, each with their own terrain, languages and cuisines.
“Tusheti, a new destination for tourists, is a place of natural beauty, with no big hotels. It’s an interesting and unique part of Georgia… but every region has its own unique sights,” said the woman.
By Shelbi R. Ankiewicz
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