National Geographic photos of 20th Century Georgia exhibited for charity

Black and white photos showing Georgia in its former glory are going on display at a charity exhibition this week.

National Geographic archival images of Georgia in the early 20th Century will be shown at the Restore Life charity event, organised by non-profit organisation American Friends of Georgia (AFG). The exhibition will be the first in a series of events celebrating AFG's 20th anniversary of promoting philanthropy in Georgia.

The images will go on display at the Sheraton Metechi Palace Hotel on Wednesday October 15 from 7-9pm. The poignant images will be available for purchase after the exhibition, as AFG have exclusive rights to reprint the original images. Funds raised from the sale of the photos will be donated to charity.

Almost 30 images captured by some of National Geographic’s top photographers Vittorio Sella, Maynard Owen Williams and Frederick Simpich when they visited Georgia about a hundred years ago will be part of the evening display.

As well as the photo exhibition, guests can also expect to enjoy a cocktail reception and live band.

The Restore Life charity event was organised by American Friends of Georgia (AFG) and will be the first in a series of events celebrating its 20th anniversary of promoting philanthropy in Georgia.

Money raised at the event will support the AFG charitable project - Palliative Hospice and Home Care Program – and help provide home-based services for more than 100 elderly in Tbilisi. Palliative care was a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach that included specialised medical care for people with serious illnesses.

AFG was a US-based non-profit and non-political organisation which looked to provide practical humanitarian assistance to improve Georgia’s educational, economic, social, medical and environmental conditions.

Over the past 20 years, AFG’s activities have helped ease the suffering of Georgia’s most vulnerable citizens, including the homeless, the critically and terminally ill, single mothers, disadvantaged children and elderly.