In conjunction with the DAAD-OSI Program selection meeting for the year 2009-2010, a meeting was organized with 15 alumni from various years of the grant.
The event was opened by Benedikt Brisch from DAAD Bonn and Audrone Uzieliene from the Open Society Foundation-London. It was followed by a presentation by Oliver Reisner from the Georgian Delegation of the European Commission on the topic of “Georgia’s Cooperation with the EU.” Reisner gave an update on the activities of the delegation, as well as presented various projects open for Georgia and answered questions from the audience.
After the coffee break, a heated discussion took place around the presentation by Giga Zedania on the topic of “Populism and Liberalism in Georgia.” There were so many comments and questions from the participants that the moderator, Iago Kachkachishvili, had a difficult time steering the discussion and letting everyone express their views.
The discussions continued over the dinner in the restaurant. It was almost midnight when everybody returned to Tbilisi, but the overall atmosphere was very pleasant and participants felt that they had a chance to meet, talk, and share their experiences.
An Alumna’s View
from Nino Tchirakadze, DAAD-OSI Program 2005, Georgia
“Is this bus going to Sighnaghi?” was my first question as I arrived at the meeting point.
It was a relatively mild winter’s day in Georgia, and the much-awaited DAAD-OSI alumni meeting in Sighnaghi filled the day’s agenda for the excited alumni. Sighnaghi is a beautiful old town situated in the heart of the Kakheti region, offering an impressive view over the wider Caucasus, including the Alazani valley and numerous wine groves. A newly-renovated town, Sighnaghi has been returned to its full glory, and now occupies the “must see” list of any tourist travelling to Georgia.
As we boarded the bus, there was the inevitable joy and excitement of reuniting with people who you haven’t seen for a while. Numerous questions filled the air: How are you? What are you doing? Where are you working and how do you like it? Laughter frequently rang out—a natural reaction from former grantees reminiscing about their time in Germany, happy with life. The foreign visitors with the DAAD-OSI delegation also seemed to enjoy the company, as our tour guide provided interesting information on the region.
Before finally reaching its destination, the bus made a stop at the Bodbe Nunnery where Saint Nino, who is thought to have brought Christianity to Georgia, lies buried in the grounds. After our arrival and a few group photos, we were treated to an agenda of exciting lectures. Sighnaghi museum’s lecture hall was adorned with unforgettable paintings by Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani. I have to admit that the pictures were so impressive that I devoted some of my attention to them as well as to the presentations! The lecture agenda included included presentations on EU-Georgia relations and liberalism in Georgia. The discussion period comments from politically engaged alumni often brought surprised looks to the faces of our foreign guests.
And how did we end such an interesting and pleasant day? With a trip to a local restaurant, of course, where we were enticed by a variety of Georgian specialties.
The day seemed to finish all too quickly as we travelled back to Tbilisi.