There goes a young man in Sakartvelo, whose candidacy for the nomination of Nobel Peace Prize is known to far too few of us. As honest and considerate people, we need to speak as loudly as we can about this wonderful fact, so that we don’t miss out on something both useful and very, very interesting. Beso Shengelia’s unbridled enthusiasm for doing good things without seeking remuneration, his enviable physical fitness and natural acumen for invention, his sincere readiness to help people, and his educational assets are so valuable for this nation that his name and deeds have to be better known, both within this nation and beyond.
To start with, Beso Shengelia was a brilliant player in Georgia’s junior rugby team of 2009-10, but, for health reasons, had to retire at the age of 19, though he never gave in. A couple of years after this negligible-for-his-character predicament, he prepared his back-pack and set out on a long journey from Tbilisi to Kazbegi (Stepantsminda), where the inveterate optimist, full of enthusiasm, determination and vigor, created the first-ever children’s rugby team, thus making friends with the entire youth of the region. And not only that! Beso initiated non-formal educational classes of English and math for the local kids, all for free. Money was not an issue – he made it by working as a waiter in the renowned Kazbegi Rooms Hotel restaurant, and asked for not even a dime to help him out, putting it all toward the local boys and girls, denying its use for his own daily comfort.
Beso Shengelia’s story was presented on Imedi TV, and he was named winner of the 2013 television competition prize, ‘The Imedi Heroes.’ And, in 2015, the World Rugby Federation created a documentary about him, which was shown in more than 50 countries, introducing his name to hundreds of thousands of viewers throughout the world.
As his climb to the top continued, Beso did not waste his valuable time: In the Adigheni region of south-western Georgia, he organized and provided for the construction of a sports and cultural center, which resulted in a very specific outcome – training several future prize winners of the European and World championships in wrestling.
Soon after this, the inexorable Shengelia started experimenting with a unique educational methodology (www.KinderBubu.com) for students of the three to twelve age bracket: The illustrated book of adventures, and alphabet-teaching photo-personal motivational book of methodology, creates shared childhood memories and promotes friendships with the future generations of the world, notwithstanding national, religious or any other cultural differences. This was all followed by several TV shows and just as many newspaper and magazine articles.
After this, Beso’s independent activity to the benefit of this society demanded further augmentation, and not only within this country. As the stars aligned to assist his good works, there came around a new opportunity to invest his talent and wits: The company named Blue Origin, belonging to the famous Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, showed readiness for symbolic cooperation with Beso Shengelia. And finally, a cultural exchange between Disney headquarters and Georgia!
Now far more than just a “citizen of Georgia,” indeed, a writer, inventor, researcher, economist, linguist and fighter for peace, Beso Shengelia is currently working on two outstanding missions: First, an educational project, comprising elements of the initiation of peace in the world; and, second, an annual international family festival in Georgia, which will be inaugurated in 2025 under the title ‘The Annual Peace Forum in Georgia,’ inspired by Nobel peace status symbolism. Amazingly and interestingly, the members of Donald Trump’s team have expressed a desire to participate in the convention as honorary guests.
Isn’t this much too much for a man of only 31 years of age? And within just several years? But Beso Shengelia knows exactly what he is doing and why, and the Nobel Prize nomination is not the end goal in itself, but an incentive to carry on with great and noble works for peace in the world against all the extant odds, including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the presumed incipient conflict in Taiwan.
The world definitely needs young and reasonable men like our Beso Shengelia, truly Georgian in form and spirit, but very international in his action and understanding of the world around. Let’s wish him well!
Blog by Nugzar B. Ruhadze
