George Soros announces Georgia visit

Business magnate, philanthropist and founder of Open Society Foundations – a foundation that assists transitioning of post-communist countries – will come to Georgia for a two-day visit later this month.

George Soros will attend festive events marking the 20^thanniversary of the Open Society Georgia Foundation on November 15.

Soros established the Open Society Foundations in 1979. Since then, the Foundation remained committed to the global struggle for open society, and build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people.

The Open Society Georgia Foundation works in several directions in the country, having programs of Human Rights and Good Governance, Civil Society Support, Media, Public Health and Academic Fellowship.

In addition, the Foundation runs grant-making and operational programs. It finances non-governmental organisations, individuals and initiative groups in Georgia.

Months of work has gone into planning the special anniversary event. The first event – the Batumi Media Conference – was held in September.

The Georgian Foundation invited Soros and Open Society Foundation representatives from different countries and other foreign guests to celebrate the November occasion.

The last time Soros was in Georgia was in 2012 on an unofficial visit where he met with the heads of Open Society Georgia, the then president Mikheil Saakashvili, the then Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili.