Georgian Heritage Foundation

We would like to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the successful curation and public opening of the Georgian Book Section on June 20th, 2024, at the San Jose Public Library. Our sincere thanks go to Mayor Matt Mahan of San Jose, San Jose City Librarian Jill Bourne and her incredible team at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library. We extend our appreciation to the entire team at the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, Director Konstantin Gamsakhurdia and his team at the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, Zaza Korinteli, Pavel Sirotin and the Bevri. Georgian Restaurant team, our Georgian Diaspora members, and all the guests who contributed to making the opening ceremony a resounding success. The event was filled with kindness, positivity, Georgian culture, music, delicious food and Books that are ready to be checked out! We are excited to continue our collaboration with the City of San Jose and the San Jose Public Library on future lecture series, starting with the "Georgia on My Mind: The Country, Not the State" program. მე♥️SJPL #GeorgianDiaspora #DiasporaEngagement #საქართველო

On July 10th, 2023, we first wrote to the office of the Mayor of San Jose, seeking a meeting with Mayor Mahan with the aspiration of the Georgian Heritage Foundation introducing Georgian culture to the area where the majority of our Georgian diaspora resides in the Bay Area. Since then, with the unwavering support of the entire team from the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, we have successfully partnered with the city. We presented three main goals: establishing a friendship connection, partnering with the main library, and planning more events for the future. Together with the Consulate and the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, we have fulfilled our promise to establish a Georgian Book Section in the main library, which also serves San Jose State University. We have set an “organic” precedent for a true bilateral friendship between our two countries through local partnerships, culminating in an event on June 20th (next week) celebrating the unveiling of the Georgian Book Section and announcement of the future programs with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Library that are coming up. We can wholeheartedly say that this exemplifies how the mission of the Georgian Heritage Foundation comes to life through dedication and benevolence while benefiting others and we are so proud and grateful for all the incredible people who helped make it happen♥️ Georgian Consulate San Francisco Levan Beridze, Levan Kulijanishvili, David Kurtanidze, Mariam Neparidze, Keti Peradze, MBA, Mamuka Grigolia, Zaza Korinteli, Pavel Sirotin, Bevri. Georgian Restaurant #DiasporaEngagement #GeorgianDiaspora #Culture #Benevolence #Friendship

🎉 Exciting Announcement! 🎉 The Georgian Heritage Foundation is thrilled to launch the Georgian Diaspora Engagement Program under the proud banner of Georgia - Sakartvelo! 🇬🇪 Join us in celebrating Georgian culture and heritage through these key initiatives: 🔷People-to-People Engagement: Connecting the Georgian Diaspora with local communities through events, forums, and exhibits. Let's build a network of support that transcends borders! 🔷Educational Programs: Dive into our Lecture Series and "Georgian as a Foreign Language" classes. Learn about Georgia’s rich history and linguistic heritage. 📚 🔷Cultural Exchange: Experience Georgian music, art, literature, and cuisine. Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Georgia. 🔷City Friendship Program: Establishing formal partnerships for cultural and educational exchanges. Strengthening relationships for long-term collaboration. 🤝 Our Lecture Series will include topics such as: 🇬🇪”Georgia on My Mind, the Country, not the State" - Discover Georgia's history, geography, and cultural significance. 📝”Georgian Language and Scripts" - Explore the unique linguistic characteristics and the evolution of the Georgian alphabet. 🎶 “Georgian Music" - Journey through the rich and diverse musical traditions of Georgia, from folklore to contemporary genres. 🍽️ “Georgian Cuisine" - Savor the culinary traditions that define Georgian gastronomy. 🍇 “Georgia: Cradle of Wine" - Delve into Georgia’s ancient winemaking traditions and their global significance. 📖 “Georgian Literature" - Explore key literary works and figures that have shaped Georgian literature. Each lecture will be led by the members of the Diaspora community thus providing them a platform to share the knowledge. 🗓️ Save the Date! As the City of San Jose welcomes us as part of the City Friendship Program, Join us on June 20th at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library in San Jose at 1:00 pm for a special event where a Georgian Book Section will be announced, all made possible through collaborative efforts of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia, the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the Georgian Heritage Foundation. Guests will be treated to: 🎶 A unique performance by Zaza Korinteli, featuring a new program developed during his Music and Art studies. 🍴 A delicious showcase of Georgian cuisine from Bevri, prepared by the talented Georgian Chef Vakho. We look forward to your participation and support in making this program a success. Only through our collective engagement can we make a difference. Georgian Consulate San Francisco Martin Luther King Jr Public Library Bevri. Georgian Restaurant Zaza Korinteli #GeorgianHeritage #DiasporaEngagement #CulturalExchange #CelebrateGeorgia #SanJoseEvents #GeorgianCulture #UnityInDiversity

Thank you, Kerstin Karu, for your invaluable contributions to Diaspora Engagement with both the Estonian and Georgian communities. Your efforts in fostering connections and celebrating our diverse cultures and heritage are what make us stronger together. #DiasporaEngagement #DiasporaDiplomacy #Leadership #Empowerment

Open Letter to the School of Georgian Heritage. 🇺🇸 Dear friends, esteemed teachers, and wonderful students ♥️ I hope this message finds you all in good spirits! 🔆 Saturday, June 1st, marks the final lesson of the Spring Session of our pilot program, "Georgian as a Foreign Language." As we head into the summer holidays, I wish you all a joyful, warm, and engaging summer filled with well-deserved rest. 📚 We will reconvene for the Fall Session on Wednesday, September 4th, maintaining the same schedule as before. 🙏🏻 I extend my deepest gratitude to each of you for your dedication, hard work, and support in learning the Georgian language. This beautiful language is one of our most treasured cultural assets, requiring continuous care and love, especially for children in the Georgian Diaspora. 🥳🎉 Fun Fact: Since March, our incredible teachers Nino Tediashvili, Tamar Kapanadze, Tamta Khutsishvili, and Tinatin Burdzenidze have collectively conducted 107 Georgian language lessons! We have 32 students enrolled in the program, divided into 6 groups. I am immensely proud of all of you! With great gratitude and love, Your Lika ♥️ 🇬🇪 მოგესალმებით დიდი სიყვარულით ჩემო ძვირფასო მეგობრებო, ჩვენო საოცარო პედაგოგებო და უსაყვარლესო პატარებო♥️ იმედია ყველანი კარგად ხართ! 🔆შაბათს, პირველ ივნისს იქნება ჩვენი საპილოტო პროგრამის “ქართული როგორც უცხო ენის” საგაზაფხულო სესიის ბოლო გაკვეთილი. გვეწყება ზაფხულის არდადეგები. გისურვებთ ხალისიან, თბილ, საინტერესო ზაფხულს და კარგ დასვენებას. 📚ჩვენ საშემოდგომო სესიას დავიწყებთ ოთხშაბათს, 4 სექტემბერს იგივე გრაფიკით რაც აქამდე გვქონდა. 🙏🏻უღრმესი მადლობა თითოეულ თქვენთაგანს შრომისთვის, ძალისხმევისთვის, ხელშეწყობისთვის და იმ დროისთვის რომელსაც ქართული ენის სწავლაში დებთ. ეს არის ჩვენი ერთერთი უმნიშვნელოვანესი საგანძური, რომელსაც სჭირდება მუდმივი მოფერება და სიყვარული, განსაკუთრებით ემიგრაციაში მყოფ ბავშვებისთვის. 🥳🎉სახალისო ფაქტი: მარტიდან მოყოლებული, ჩვენმა საოცარმა პედაგოგებმა: ნინო თედიაშვილმა, თამარ კაპანაძემ, თამთა ხუციშვილმა და თინათინ ბურძენიძემ ერთობლივად ჩაატარეს 107 ქართული ენის გაკვეთილი! პროგრამაში ჩაწერილი გვყავს 32 მოსწავლე 6 ჯგუფად დაყოფილი. ძალიან ვამაყობ თქვენით! დიდი მადლიერებით და სიყვარულით, თქვენი ლიკა♥️ 🙏🏻სსიპ მასწავლებელთა პროფესიული განვითარების ეროვნული ცენტრი 🙏🏻ani kudukhashvili #GeorgianDiasporaFirst #GeorgianLanguage #Diaspora #Engagement

In a pivotal moment on April 14, 1978, Georgia stood at the crossroads of linguistic identity. Threatened by Soviet authorities to relinquish Georgian as the official language in favor of Russian, the people of Georgia rose in defiance. Led by thousands, predominantly students, the protests culminated on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi. On that historic day, around 15,000 voices echoed through the streets, demanding the preservation of our mother tongue. Today, as Georgia commemorates Mother Language Day each April 14, the legacy endures. Georgian, celebrated as a "living culture of three writing systems," stands proudly on UNESCO's Intangible Heritage list, a testament to the unwavering spirit of our people. We at the Georgian Heritage Foundation celebrate this day through the efforts of our students in the Calligraphy as an Art Program, led by Georgian Master Calligrapher Giorgi Sisauri. Currently, we are on the 36th lecture of the Asomtavluli alphabet, one of the three writing systems. Asomtavruli holds a significant place in Georgian history, being the oldest script among the three Georgian writing systems. Dating back to the 5th century, it was initially used primarily for religious texts and inscriptions on monumental structures. Over time, it evolved into the more familiar Mkhedruli script, which is now the modern Georgian alphabet. However, Asomtavruli remains a cherished aspect of Georgian heritage, symbolizing the rich cultural legacy of the nation. In today's globalized world, especially among the young generation living outside of Georgia, preserving Asomtavruli and other elements of Georgian heritage becomes even more vital. These efforts not only connect them to their roots but also contribute to the continuation of Georgian identity and culture across borders. We have chosen to dedicate our time to its study because we believe it is important not only to teach Mkhedruli to our students but also to ensure the preservation of all writing systems. This is crucial for popularizing our heritage and maintaining our Georgian identity. *** Presented below are some of the Asomtavruli Capital Letters commissioned by Giorgi Sisauri, Nina Gelashvili, Nutsa Urushadze and Sophie Tsulaia.

📢 Announcement: Georgian Heritage Foundation, MFA of Georgia, Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, and the National Center for Professional Development of Teachers in Georgia as Partners. We are excited to announce that the Georgian Heritage Foundation, in collaboration with the National Center for Professional Development of Teachers in Georgia, has formed a partnership to support our Diaspora with an unprecedented Language Program. Through this partnership, we will continue to offer Georgian language classes online, facilitated by the National Center for Professional Development of Teachers in Georgia, and funded by the Georgian Heritage Foundation. These classes conducted twice a week via the TEAMS platform, will provide accessible opportunities for Georgian children to learn and engage with their native language. This joint effort reflects our shared commitment to providing Georgian children born abroad with access to quality language education. Through this collaboration, we aim to empower Georgian youth to connect with their cultural heritage and language roots. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, and the National Center for Professional Development of Teachers in Georgia for their invaluable partnership in this endeavor. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this collaborative journey to strengthen the bonds between our Diaspora and Georgia. 🙏🏻Georgian Consulate San Francisco 🙏🏻Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia 🙏🏻სსიპ მასწავლებელთა პროფესიული განვითარების ეროვნული ცენტრი David Kurtanidze Aliona Chkhotua ani kudukhashvili 🌍🇬🇪 #GeorgianHeritage #DiasporaLanguageProgram

In a rapidly changing world where language can become obsolete, it's crucial to recognize and cherish the unique heritage of each. Take the Georgian language, for instance. While it's not on the brink of extinction, there's a concerning decline in fluency and daily practice among the younger generation, particularly within the burgeoning Georgian immigrant community worldwide. #PreserveOurGeorgianHeritage #LanguageRevival #GeorgianPride

We are grateful for 2023. Thankful for all the kindness, support, wonderful memories and cherished friendships shared along the way. Here’s to an exciting New Year ahead!

Discover Kutaisi: A Timeless Gem in Georgia's Rich History. While Tbilisi often takes the spotlight when discussing Georgia, Kutaisi stands as a venerable city with a history spanning 3,600 years. Kutaisi unfolds tales of ancient civilizations, including the notable presence of Greeks and Argonauts in their quest for the legendary Golden Fleece within the captivating Kingdom of Colchis. We believe that the future of this beautiful city and its citizens is bright. Ioseb Khakhaleishvili #Georgia #Kutaisi #KingdomofColchis