UNESCO Renews Georgian Pianist Elisso Bolkvadze's Artist for Peace Mandate
Georgian pianist Elisso Bolkvadze will continue to serve as UNESCO Artist for Peace as the organization renewed her mandate last weekend.
UNESCO’s Director-General Audrey Azoulay said Bolkvadze "will help raise awareness of the organization's actions and programs on education”.
Azoulay added that the renewed status for the pianist will "contribute to UNESCO’s efforts to support the promotion of creativity and musical education among young people in particular”.
Bolkvadze wrote a post on social media: “I am pleased to inform you that UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has renewed my Mandate as a UNESCO Artist for Peace. As the first artist chosen from Georgia, I am glad to be able to implement various international cultural projects for the benefit of my country, with the help of this high status”.
The pianist was initially granted the UNESCO mandate in 2015 at the organization's headquarters in Paris.
UNESCO's former Director-General Irina Bokova commented on Bolkvadze’s appointment in 2015, saying the Georgin pianist was chosen as Artist for Peace in recognition of "not only her professionalism, but also her meaningful activities aimed to promote charity across the globe."
Elisso Bolkvadze has won numerous famous international piano competitions, including the International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig (1983), Van Cliburn International Piano Competiton in the US (1989), Vianna da Motta International Music Competiton in Lisbon (1987), Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris (special prize for the best interpretation of French music, France, 1995), Axa International Piano Competition in Dublin (1997), among others.
In the last few years, Bolkvadze received other awards and titles, including the Order of Arts and Literature, a top French state prize, and Georgia’s Order of Honor.
Bolkvadze founded the LYRA Foundation in 2013 to assist young Georgian pianists with their studies. Through the foundation, Bolkvadze also runs the annual international Music Festival in Georgia's charming seaside town of Batumi.
UNESCO Artists for Peace are internationally-renowned personalities who use their influence and charisma to help promote UNESCO’s message and core agendas. UNESCO works with these distinguished individuals to raise public awareness regarding key development issues.