On June 4th, 2013 the Georgian Association in the USA organized an Advocacy Day for Georgia. The all-day event began with a meeting at the Department of State and was followed by eight meetings on Capitol Hill. The Georgian community was represented by GA president Mamuka Tsereteli, executive director Nino Aduashvili, David Soumbadze (MD), Veronika Metonidze (VA), Vasil Jaiani (DC), Alexander Meladze (NY), Bakur Bejaneishvili (MD), Vlad Bregvadze (VA), and Noel Brockett (MD)
The Advocacy Day participants raised issues of pressing priority for Georgia and the Georgian community in the United States. Among the topics discussed were Georgia’s security and its future integration into the Euro-Atlantic community. The meetings called for the following actions: strong advocacy for Georgia’s NATO membership and support for granting a Membership Action Plan to Georgia in 2014, strengthening Georgia’s defensive capabilities, stronger US leadership on development of the Energy and Transportation Corridor connecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus to Europe and the Mediterranean, the increase of economic assistance to Georgia and support for civil society and democratic development programs.
The participants met with Justine Friedman, director of Caucasian Affairs at the Department of State, Representative Bridenstine and his foreign policy adviser and senior staff members for Representative Van Hollen, Senator Shaheen, Representative Thornberry, Senator Warner, Representative Sires, Senator Kaine and Representative Guthrie.
At the end of the day the participants attended the celebration of the 95th anniversary of Georgian Independence organized by the Embassy of Georgia.
The Georgian Association is planning to organize a follow-up Advocacy Day in the early Fall. We thank all our participants for their service and support and encourage your active participation in the future events.
Please visit our Facebook page for more photos from the event.