Georgia's former UK and Ireland ambassador, advisor to president Shevardnadze, author Gela Charkviani dies aged 82

Along with his work in diplomacy, Charkviani left a legacy in fields of literature, education and television, with his most recent literary involvement coming at the 2020 World Book Day. Photo via Intelekti Publishing.

Agenda.ge, 09 Nov 2021 - 13:51, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian diplomat, author and publicist Gela Charkviani, a notable figure in the contemporary literature and the wider cultural sector of the country, died aged 82 in Tbilisi, with the family confirming the news on Tuesday.

Charkviani passed away only a few days after the national celebrations of those in diplomatic service - a profession he served as Georgia's ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland between 2006-2011. The service followed his position as an advisor to president Eduard Shevardnadze for over a decade between 1992-2003.

The late state official's work in the positions - credited for his contributions in the development of relations between the United States and the nascent Georgian republic in the 1990s - was honoured with state prizes over the last three decades. In 1998, he was bestowed the Order of Honour of Georgia, followed by the Presidential Order of Brilliance in 2011 and the St George Order of Victory two years later.

Beside his diplomatic and advisory work, Charkviani, who graduated from the Institute of Foreign Languages in 1963 before continuing postgraduate studies at the University of Michigan in 1970, also worked as TV presenter for a programme introducing countries from across the world to viewers, taught English language and was Vice-President of the Georgian Society for Cultural Relations.