NATO Days in Georgia highlight public diplomacy
The 11th annual NATO Days in Georgia took place from 16 April to 1 May 2018. President Giorgi Margvelashvili opened the event in the capital, Tbilisi. More than 60 activities were held in eight regions across the country, aiming to raise awareness of NATO-Georgia cooperation.
One of the main events, the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum, took place in Tbilisi. Participants included President Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Speaker of the Parliament, Irakli Kobakhidze, and United States Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs A. Wess Mitchell.
NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Ambassador Taçan Ildem delivered a keynote speech at the Forum and took part in a panel discussion with the Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikheil Janelidze. Ambassador Ildem reflected on the main outcomes of the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 27 April 2018 and commended Georgia´s contribution to NATO missions.
“Allies unanimously support Georgia´s aspiration to join NATO and the ministers recognise the strong public support for that aspiration. They also welcome the positive trend of reforms and democratic transformation in Georgia and they reiterated their support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders,” he said.
The event was organised by the NATO and EU Information Centre, with the support of Georgia’s Foreign and Defence Ministries, NATO Public Diplomacy Division, the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia and the Embassy of Bulgaria to Georgia.