European competition welcomes performing art professionals from Armenia and Georgia

08.01.2024 (Caucasian Journal) Are you - or a friend of yours - a performing arts professional living in Georgia, Armenia, or the rest of Europe? If yes, read on: This is an opportunity for you and your friends.  

Perform Europe, a European funding scheme supported by the European Union, has  launched an open call offering €2.1 million for performing arts partnerships to collaborate across borders within the 40 Creative Europe countries, including Armenia and Georgia.

The call is open to all performing arts professionals and organisations in Creative Europe countries. The applications should be submitted by partnerships with a minimum of three partners from three different Creative Europe countries. 

Applicants can apply for grants in three categories: €12,000, €32,000 or €60,000. The deadline for submitting applications is 31 March. To read full details and apply click here. 

Ambassador Hideki ISHIZUKA: "I will spare no effort to strengthen political and economic ties between two countries"

Photo Embassy of Japan © 2023

21.12.2023 (Caucasian Journal) It is a special honour today for Caucasian Journal to welcome His Excellency ISHIZUKA Hideki, the newly appointed Ambassador of Japan to Georgia. His ambassadorial term in Tbilisi started last June.

▶ ქართულად:  Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, welcome to Caucasian Journal. Your service in Georgia had started in summer, so you must have got already some local experience. Can you name three impressions in Georgia, which you did not expect, and which have surprised you?

ISHIZUKA Hideki: My first impression was the view from the airplane, just before I arrived at Tbilisi. I am deeply impressed by the breathtaking scenery of the white shining mountains of the Great Caucasian Range and the beautiful forests. But I was more impressed by the well cultivated crop field at the brink of deep gorge in the mountainous region. It shows the diligence of people of Georgia, and I feel sympathy because it is very similar to Japan’s “terraced paddy fields”.

My second impression was the Georgian hospitality, which many foreign people are fascinated by. Japanese people are also proud of their way of hospitality “omotenashi” to consider guest first with respect, but Georgian hospitality “Maspindzloba” is more proactive and generous with friendship. Georgian people are very friendly to guests with gentle smiles. I found in many cases people are polite to each other (except for traffic jam…) and I often hear “Ki Batono!” in their conversations. This kind of politeness is also very comfortable to Japanese people, as we have the same culture.

Op-Ed: The Benefits of EU Candidacy for Georgia

17.12.2023 (Caucasian Journal). Caucasian Journal welcomes and celebrates the decision to grant EU candidate status to Georgia. Our today's Op-Ed piece by Fady ASLY, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia, is devoted to that historic decision.

As usual with Op-Ed articles, the opinions and thoughts expressed in them reflect only the author’s views. Feel free to comment using the form below or in our Facebook or LinkedIn. If you are interested in contributing your own article for publication, you are welcome to contact Caucasian Journal.

The Benefits of EU Candidacy for Georgia

by Fady ASLY

Georgia’s candidate status was approved by the Council of Europe on December 14th, most Georgians are thrilled by this crucial milestone and have been celebrating, albeit without fully understanding what it really means for the country; I will therefore try to shed some light on the positive economic and political impact that the “Candidate Status” will bring to Georgia. 

The status of being recognised as a candidate for European Union (EU) membership is a watershed in the annals of a nation’s history, heralding a future of transformative potential, both politically and economically. It is the first concrete step on a path towards integration into a bloc that stands as much for a common market as it does for a community of shared values and political solidarity. 

Ambassador Ashot SMBATYAN: “Our initiative will turn South Caucasus into crossroads between East and West, North and South, as it used to be for centuries"

07.12.2023 (Caucasian Journal) It is an honour for Caucasian Journal to welcome His Excellency Ashot SMBATYAN, the Ambassador of Armenia to Georgia and Hungary.

▶ Հայերեն. Read the Armenian version here.

▶ ქართულად:  Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, welcome to Caucasian Journal. This interview is special for us, because one of the aims of our journal is to support the centuries-old ties between the peoples in our region, to share the achievements, and to discuss the solutions to the problems.  So, when I was planning the concept of this interview, I wanted to suggest two main themes to discuss: The implications of the latest developments in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the relations with Georgia. You are welcome to correct me by guiding me to other subjects, but let me start by expressing the empathy to over 100,000 Armenians who had to leave Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), and at this moment are very far from their homes. How would you comment on this – both as a diplomat and as a person?

Ashot SMBATYAN: First, let me thank you for this opportunity. It has been a year since I have been appointed the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia, and I believe that this is a good opportunity to sum up the progress we have had during this year.

I would also like to thank you for your kind words of support regarding the tragedy that happened to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, it is important to hear these words in friendly Georgia. Indeed, the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, followed by forcible displacement of the entire indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh was nothing but an ethnic cleansing, which should have been strongly condemned by the international community. Unfortunately, we have witnessed how 100,000 people were forcibly displaced from their homeland by Azerbaijan.

Op-Ed: The Philosophy of Corruption

01.12.2023 (Caucasian Journal). Caucasian Journal is starting an Op-Ed Section, which welcomes free opinion articles by experts from various fields.  Our today's Op-Ed author is Fady ASLY, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia (ICC Georgia). 

As usual with Op-Ed articles, the opinions and thoughts expressed in them reflect only the author’s views. Feel free to comment using the form below or in our Facebook or LinkedIn. If you are interested in contributing your own article for publication, you are welcome to contact Caucasian Journal.

The Philosophy of Corruption  

by Fady ASLY

We hear about corruption every day, and often take it at face value without really understanding what it means from the human point of view.

My article aims at explaining corruption from the point of view of morality and of the degradation of the corrupt individual.

The notion of corruption is as old as humanity and morals; we have heard it since biblical times. Since Genesis, the submission of Adam and Eve to the temptation of the forbidden fruit and their subsequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden is, in fact, the mark of our corruption, meaning our distance from the good.

Ambassador Petr KUBERNÁT: “Our priority is to help the EU integration of Georgia - if they wish”

Photo: Caucasian Journal

18.11.2023 (Caucasian Journal) Today Caucasian Journal has the honour to talk with His Excellency Petr KUBERNÁT, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Georgia. His term in Tbilisi started last August. Mr. Kubernát has an impressive experience in diplomatic and other governmental service, as well as in the private sector.

▶ ქართულად:  Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, welcome to Georgia and to Caucasian Journal, we thank you for attention to our readers.  Let me first congratulate you with the Czech national holiday – the Freedom and Democracy Day – which is celebrated on November 17. If I’m correct, throughout your career you have been working primarily in Western Europe. Does Georgia seem like a terra incognita to you? 

Petr KUBERNÁT: I was in Georgia for the first time in 1982. It was during my study at the Taras Shevchenko University in Kiev. I studied international law and international relations there, and my specialization was international economic relations.  We decided with one of my friends to see a little bit outside of Ukraine. So we went to the Caucasus republics, starting with Tbilisi and continuing to Yerevan and Baku.  

It was more than 40 years ago. I still remember the “Tarkhun” – that green lemonade. I like it very much, and I am very glad that I found it again here. Then I remember from that time, there was already the statue – Mother Georgia, and she's still there. And then I remember the Rustaveli Avenue, which was very nice, and now it’s even better and nicer, I think. But all the other things have changed – changed in very positive ways, including the people. So this is my second time in Georgia.

Next meeting of Caucasian Journal Club to discuss Taliban and religious extremism

13.11.2023.  On November 21, Caucasian Journal and International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia have the pleasure to invite you to the Caucasian Journal Club meeting "The Taliban’s Jihad: Why Religious Extremism Will Continue to Threaten World Security" 

After almost 10 years spent in Afghanistan, the Swiss journalist Franz MARTY is going to share his reflections with the Caucasian Journal Club. Franz is a freelance journalist who, between December 2014 and June 2023, including during the Taliban takeover in August 2021, lived and worked in Afghanistan. While there, he conducted exclusive interviews with Taliban (before and after their return to power) as well as unaccompanied investigative reporting from remote and hostile corners of the country.

Mr. Marty is a fellow of the Swiss Institute For Global Affairs and has written for The Diplomat, Jane's, The Afghanistan Analysts Network, Weltwoche, and Neue Zürcher Zeitung, among others. He has also contributed to numerous live broadcasts on CNN, Deutsche Welle, France 24, BBC World Service, and Radio France Internationale.

A proposal for future electoral system of Abkhazia Autonomous Republic – A Path Towards Sustainable Conflict Transformation

27.09.2023 (Caucasian Journal) Caucasian Journal is open to publishing articles contributed by the experts from various fields.  

Our today's author is Giorgi ARZIANI, the founder of Tbilisi School for Social Research, an independent think-tank. 

By Giorgi ARZIANI

Introduction

This year marks 30 years since the de-facto occupation of Abkhazia. In this essay, I will address some of the most challenging issues of de-occupation, reintegration, and conflict transformation. I will put forward a proposal for a future electoral system of the Abkhazia Autonomous Republic, which might set a framework for the elections of the local Parliament in a post-occupation scenario. It is important to note that the proposal is based on the assumption that de-occupation and conflict transformation will be achieved through a peaceful negotiation process involving international stakeholders and local communities and will include the return of IDPs and refugees to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region. Much, of course, will depend upon the outcome of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

 

Ran BERGER: "The warm welcome in Georgia is not something we take for granted"

▶  How easy is it to work globally from South Caucasus? 

▶  How big is Georgia's potential in hi tech?

Focus on IT is the Caucasian Journal's new interview series which we're starting today. We reach out to the top executives of IT companies which are based, present, or relocated in Georgia, to hear their first-hand comments and experiences. 

▶  Got something to say? Leave a comment or email us to become our next speaker!

29.08.2023 (Caucasian Journal).  Georgia's revenues from IT services are booming and even seem to exceed the wine export revenues – the country’s traditional income resource. However, compared to many other countries, the progress of Georgia’s IT sector is still modest. What is needed to make Georgia more competitive and attractive to serious investors? What are the advantages and pitfalls of working globally from Georgia?

Caucasian Journal decided to learn directly from the decision-makers with hands-on experience in this country. Today we are grateful to Ran BERGER, co-founder and CEO at Flat Rock Technology (Great Britain) for answering our questions.    

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Dear Ran, welcome to Caucasian Journal! You seem like a “classical” founder of a software company, which you have been developing during 15 years from a scratch to a strong 400+ employees team scattered over several countries. Can we start with a bit more information about yourself and your company?

Ran BERGER: Dear Alexander, thank you for the opportunity to share my experience and our Georgia journey with you and with the Caucasian Journal's readers. I started my career in IT as a young engineer in 1999 and I built my experience since then. My main journey was with large scale organizational systems such as ERP, CRM and BI [respectively: Enterprise resource planning, Customer relationship management, Business intelligence - CJ] which allowed me to understand how the main business functions and processes work, and how various systems can optimize them. During the early stages of my career I saw how the internet is changing our lives and businesses, allowing us to rapidly scale and integrate with other partners in the value chain. 

Ruben VARDANYAN: "When you are in blockade it is really important to be unified" (video)

23.08.2023 (Caucasian Journal). Our today's interview is focusing on blockade of the Republic of Artsakh - an ongoing event in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which left 120,000 people in the region without access to food, medicine and critical supplies.

We are sharing the interview with Ruben VARDANYAN, the Armenian politician who served as the State Minister of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in 2022-2023, also known as a businessman and philanthropist. 

The region of Artsakh (also known as Nagorno-Karabakh) is disputed between Azerbaijan and the breakaway Republic of Artsakh, which has a majority ethnic Armenian population and is supported by neighboring Armenia.  

The eight-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, started on 12 December 2022, has led to grave consequences as no supplies can come through. The first case of death from starvation was recorded in Artsakh earlier this month, according to the Office of the Human Rights Defender in the region. K. Hovhannisyan, a 40-year-old resident of Stepanakert, died as a result of chronic malnutrition and protein deficiency, states a report conducted by the human rights office.

To be the first to view all our exclusive video interviews, subscribe here to our YouTube Channel.