Tbilisi Mayor awards Honorary Tbilisi Citizens
By Tea Mariamidze
Tuesday, October 10
Tbilisi has gained 13 new honorary citizens, who were revealed at a gala-concert at the end of the city festival - Tbilisoba.
The Honorary Citizens were named and awarded by Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania. They are:
<1. European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn.
2. Publicist - Tamaz Tkemaladze
3. Neurologist - Roman Shakarishvili
4. Former tennis player - Aleksandre Metreveli
5. Operatic Bass –Lado Ataneli
6. Actor, director - Merab Tavadze
7. Doctor - Guliko Chapidze
8. Photojournalist, writer - Demiko Loladze
9. Scientist, chemist Eter Kemertelidze
10. Historian, teacher of Jewish language - Zayara Davarashvili
11. Composer - Vazha Durglishvili;
12. Musician - Tamaz Kurashvili
13. Basketball player - Zaza Pachulia.
The title of Honorary Tbilisi Citizen is traditionally awarded to people who have special merits to the capital and Georgia. This tradition was established on October 28, 1979.
"It's important that these people deserve our special appreciation and gratitude," Tbilisi Mayor stated about the honorary citizens at the award ceremony.
This year Tbilisoba was marked on October 7-8 and it featured a range of entertainment, including open-air concerts, traditional music and dance, cultural events and a lot of food and wine.
The main activities of the festival usually take place in the Old City, but smaller pockets of celebrations throughout the city can be seen in the other districts of the city as well.
