Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili will represent the country at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, opening this week in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The gathering — running from October 30 to November 13 — brings together world leaders, diplomats, and cultural figures to shape UNESCO’s global agenda in education, science, and culture.
Bochorishvili is set to deliver a keynote address and hold bilateral meetings with fellow ministers and senior UNESCO officials. Alongside the official proceedings, Georgia will host a dedicated national pavilion celebrating its living traditions — from the ancient clay-jar winemaking method known as qvevri to the country’s world-renowned polyphonic singing.
A highlight of Georgia’s program will be a performance by the acclaimed folk ensemble Basiani at the Samarkand Music and Drama Theater. The showcase, organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, and the National Wine Agency, aims to spotlight Georgia’s rich heritage and creative identity.
The qvevri technique — where wine ferments underground in large clay vessels — and Georgian polyphonic singing are both recognized by UNESCO as masterpieces of intangible cultural heritage. Officials say the pavilion will not only display these traditions but also invite visitors to experience Georgia’s distinctive blend of history, craftsmanship, and artistry.
Hosting the UNESCO conference in Samarkand marks a milestone: it is the first time in more than 40 years that the organization’s top decision-making body has convened outside its Paris headquarters. For Georgia, it is a rare chance to combine diplomacy with cultural storytelling on a global stage.
In addition to the cultural showcase, Bochorishvili is expected to use her meetings to discuss expanding cooperation with UNESCO and its member states, emphasizing cultural diplomacy and heritage preservation as key pillars of Georgia’s foreign policy.
As the world’s attention turns to Samarkand — a crossroads of civilizations — Georgia hopes its presence will reaffirm its role as a guardian of ancient traditions and a forward-looking participant in international cultural dialogue.
