T
he ceremony of unveiling a memorial plaque dedicated to the 25-year-old friendship between the cities of Kutaisi and Newport took place on 16 June.

The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador for Great Britain in Georgia, Alexandra Hall Hall, the Newport delegation led by Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, Dame Rosemary Butler, members of the Kutaisi Newport Association and residents of Kutaisi.

The speeches of welcome were made by the Mayor of Kutaisi, Shota Murgulia, the Chair of the Newport Kutaisi Twinning Association, Sonia Fisher, the President of Kutaisi Women’s Club, Maka Khetsuriani and a resident of Newport Street, Salome Sirbiladze. Nita Khachidze, an ATSU student addressed the audience in the English language.


The ceremony was conducted by Nino Nijaradze, Head of the English Philology Department on the Faculty of Humanities, ATSU, Deputy Chair of Kutaisi Newport International Association.

It should be noted that all the expenses for the memorial plaque were paid by Sonia Fisher.

AAfter the official ceremony the members of the Newport delegation hand in hand with the local government authorities and ordinary citizens headed for Newport Square where the British Ambassador, the Kutaisi Mayor and the members of the Newport delegation planted five saplings of chestnut - leaved oaks (Quercus castaneifolia) in Newport Square.

The Kutaisi Mayor and the members of the Newport delegation planted five saplings of chestnut- leaved oaks (Quercus castaneifolia) in Newport Square.

The agro-technical measures for planting the plants were provided by a landscape architect, Ramaz Kiladze, an associate professor of ATSU.

An original flash-mob added a special charm to the event in which the ATSU Georgian and Nigerian students together with the members of the ATSU Folk Dance Company “Colchis” (director Eduard Murtskhvaladze) participated.

At the end of the celebration in Newport Street the public college “Iberia” (principal Tinatin Losaberidze) treated the guests to originally and beautifully designed samples of Georgian cuisine and pastries at a specially arranged place in Newport Square.

The food was prepared by the college students (teachers – Marine Iobashvili, Neli Dolidze, Nargiz Svanadze) and the students of restaurant business (teacher – Avtandil Khachapuridze). The guests were delighted with the food made by students and expressed their gratitude to college administration and teachers.

Nita Khachidze, a students of the English Philology Department who was also participating in the unveiling of the memorable plaque said the following on behalf of all students.

It`s a great pleasure for me to be here, and to be honest, I am just shaking with excitement right now. I really didn`t expect to feel so nervous but when you are making a speech in front of such an honorable audience, there is no other alternative, you just -must- be nervous.

I was about 6 or 7 years old when I first heard about Newport, and I was surprised – “Oh, what is Newport?” Then I decided to learn English.

I should admit that the best way to learn English in Kutaisi is to go and attend classes at ELC. Imagine my surprise when entering the ELC I saw the display stands full of books about Newport, letters from Newport, flags, photos of the Georgian people shaking hands with friends in Newport.

It was absolutely clear: “I need to know what Newport is” and believe me it is not difficult at all to find information about Newport in Kutaisi. Now I am proud that I am from the city, which took first steps towards European integration 25 years ago.

And what is more important, the friendship between the two cities and peoples still continues. I am glad that I am a student of the English Philology Department which has become much stronger and more developed because of this friendship.


Yeah, I am looking at you now and desperately want to feel the same sense of pride walking on the street named after my city.

And last but not least, I believe that future generations should strengthen this relationship and keep a long-established tradition of friendship between our cities.

And looking at this considerable achievement which is the result of much effort made by my city, the KNIA, professor Madona Megrelishvili and many others, I strongly believe that we, I mean my department and my fellow-students, will do our best to prove that we truly deserve this attention.

Thank you so much!

Associate Professor Maka Khetsuriani

President of Kutaisi Women Club