One Caucasus: Georgia hosts international music festival

Music lovers from all over the Caucasus are invited to a free, diverse music festival in Georgia’s south.

A small village called Tserakvi in southern Georgia’s Marneuli district, which lies at the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, is hosting the annual International Festival One Caucasus from August 25-28.

Organizers said this year the festival hosted participants from more than 15 countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, India, Kenya, France, Nepal, Poland, Russia, Senegal, Tibet, Tunisia, Ukraine and the United States.

American band Huntertones and Georgian folk group Chveneburebi were among this year’s performers. Check out what it's like when Jazz meets Georgian folk.

Festival organizers said there was a reason why Marneuli had been selected as the event's location.

The Caucasus suffers from many conflicts. The region of Marneuli is a borderland of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and is known for being a place where many ethnic and religious groups have been living in peace for many years. It is quite unique in the Caucasus which continues to suffer from a range of conflicts and tensions,” they said.

Our aim is, with the support of the local municipality, to create an inspirational and safe space to foster meetings and collaboration of young people from the entire Caucasus region.”

Attendance, transportation to the festival itself and camping space is free.

Read more about the festival here.