Honorary Tbilisi Citizens Awarded
TBILISI - The first day of the city festival Tbilisoba finished with a gala dinner and concert at the Ilia Garden on Agmashenebli Avenue, where representatives from the fields of art, sports and science gathered alongside state officials at the annual Honorable Citizen of Tbilisi award ceremony.
The ceremony dates back to 1979 when it was organized for the first time, ever after a traditional event held during the Tbilisoba festival.
"This year Tbilisoba gained in size considerably, with new venues and locations added, especially the new Tiflis project and Agmashenebli Avenue playing an integral part in the festival, together with an older part of the city, Legvtakhevi, where the 19th century was brought back to life through showing the old professions that were once popular and existed in Tbilisi," Davit Narmania, the Mayor of Tbilisi, said in his opening speech.
Tbilisi in Georgian Cinema was chosen as a leitmotif of the Honorable Citizen of Tbilisi award ceremony and the guests had an opportunity to see footage from Georgian films on a huge screen on stage.
As per tradition, this year many famous Georgian actors and actresses, doctors, sportsmen, singers, and scientists received an award.
Tamar Skhirtladze, Georgian actress; Pridon Sulaberidze, famous Georgian dancer; Robert Gogolashvili, folklore specialist; Lali Badurashvili, actress; Alexander Chivadze, Georgian football player; former Tbilisi Dinamo captain, Giorgi Kvesitadze - Biologist; Guela Mukhashavria, Doctor; Nodar Mgaloblishvili, actor; Levan Tchachiashvili, doctor; Dimitri Eristavi, painter; Liana Isakadze,violinist; Djemal Chkuaseli, singer and head of Erisioni folklore ensemble; and Revaz Gabriadze, Puppet Theatre director, writer and painter, were all awarded as Honorary Citizens of Tbilisi.
A special award for the highest artistic achievement was given to the Georgian ensemble “Kartuli Khmebi” (Georgian Voices) by Micheil Giorgadze, the Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia.
By Nino Gugunishvili