Handmade Georgian crafts, traditional cuisine and various souvenirs were a popular attraction at the annual International Christmas Festival in Prague.
Thousands of revellers attended the annual Christmas charity fair on Sunday in the Czech capital, and the Georgian stall gained much attention from local and foreign guests.
Presented by the Georgian Embassy in Prague, the stall allowed guests to learn more about Georgia and its culture. Visitors were able to purchase traditional Georgian felt and enamel craft items, qvevri wine, herbs and spices and a range of other local goods.
The Georgian stall featured wine, felt and enamel craft items. Photo from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia.
The Festival involved stalls from 43 countries; food, wine, fashion and handmade items from all corners of the world were presented to guests.
Organised by Prague’s Diplomatic Spouses Association under the auspices of the Czech Republic’s first lady Ivana Zemanová, the Festival raised money for needy charities in the Czech Republic.
The Diplomatic Spouses Association was established in 1997 by spouses of the diplomatic corps accredited in the Czech Republic and served to promote charities "to help the less fortunate people in the community.”
Money raised this year from entrance fees and sales would be donated to several charities, including hospitals, orphanages and therapy centres, event organisers said.
Last year the Festival contributed roughly $115,000 for 28 charity organisations. Organisers said the annual event was very well received and had raised more than two million USD since its establishment in 2000.
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is set to hold a similar event this Saturday, December 5.
From 10am to 6pm the International Women’s Association Georgia will host the 2015 Winter Fair at Raddison Blu Iveria Hotel. Funds raised will be donated to women, children and elderly in need.
The Tbilisi event will host stalls from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, China, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States.