German-Georgian online festival to celebrate First Democratic Republic literature, art
The First Democratic Republic of Georgia will be the central theme of the four-day event. Image via exhibition organisers.
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Some of the standout contemporary Georgian authors, philosophers and historians will share their thoughts and knowledge on art, culture and politics of the 1918-1921 Georgian republic as part of a German-Georgian online festival launching next week.
Talks from authors and poets including Salome Benidze and Tamta Melashvili, actor Merab Ninidze, philosopher Giorgi Maisuradze and many others will form livestreams introducing subjects ranging from the rich legacy of Georgian-German relations to socialism in literature and politics and Soviet censorship of arts.
Seen as a continuation of Georgia's Fantastic Tavern, an online festival hosted in February, the latest event will offer German-speaking viewers a window into topics ranging from the history of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia to the culture industry in the country over the last three decades of independence.
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— GeoEmbGermany (@GeoEmbGermany) June 14, 2021
Held in collaboration between the Tbilisi-based Writers' House of Georgia and the Literary House Lettrétage in Berlin, the festival - entitled Georgia's First Republic 1918-1921. History. Literature. Art - is also among events heralding the Georgian city's status as the UNESCO World Book Capital.
A performance by the Giorgi Kiknadze Trio will open the event with music from "German and Georgian compositions", a preview from the organisers said, with chef Luka Nachkebia - who introduced the subject of "feasting as therapy" in the February festival - talking about the culinary traditions of the country.
Over the subsequent four days, the series of talks and meetings will be streamed live. The programme for the festival's Day One, Day Two, Day Three and Day Four is available on the website of the Writers' House, with the livestreaming set to be broadcast on the Facebook page of the Lettrétage venue.
The concept for Georgia's First Republic comes from Maiko Danelia and Nino Nadibaidze, with artistic input from Zaal Andronikashvili and Lasha Bakradze. The event is supported by the Georgian branches of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and Goethe Institute, Georgia's embassy in Germany, the Frankfurt Book Fair, Tbilisi-based Literature Museum and Georgian National Museum.
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