The FINANCIAL — After a break of ten years, a big tradition of first-year students “christening” has been restored by Redix, the Georgian developer. The ceremony at the Theatrical University in Kote Marjanishvili Museum will become an annual occasion.
On October 4, 2008, sixty first-year students of the Theatrical University swore to serve to their future profession and were blessed so that the main actors of Marjanishvili Theatre will serve the large charity of the greatest Georgian producer, establisher of the theatre and one of the most significant Georgian cultural figures of the 20th century.
Renovation of this tradition is connected to the renovation of the house museum of Kote Marjanishvili in Kvareli and the 85 year anniversary of the university.
The house museum of the well-known Georgian producer of theatre Kote Marjanishvili (1872-1933) was established in 1959. Antique and special objects are kept in the the museum funds and on display.
On June 7 the renewed museum of Kote Marjanishvili in Kvareli was opened, where producer, establisher of the theatre and one of the most significant Georgian cultural figures of the 20th century Kote Marjanishvili was born and brought up.
“For cinema and theatre representatives it’s very important to be present at such a great event. I think it is a restoration of great traditions for all Georgians and foreigners. Redix will continue its work in the direction of cultural monuments, which our country is rich in,” Lasha Papashvili, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Bank Republic/ Group Société Générale, General Director of the Development Company Redix, told The FINANCIAL.
Restoration of the museum, the cost of which exceeding the expected USD 250,000, actually cost USD 1.5 million, is the first step of Papashvili’s ambitious plans envisioning the development of the Kaheti region.
Due to Papashvili’s initiative the best plays are annually awarded with “Duruji”. In 1924 association-corporation “Duruji” was established at the Rustaveli Theatre, where Kote Marjanishvili was elected as the chairman.
“We actively work for developing regions; I invested in different directions of agriculture: viticulture, pig business, plural vegetables. My investments are soon followed by foreign ones,” Papashvili said.
On October 3 Bank Republic opened a new branch in Telavi and by the end of the year two more will be added in two other Kakhetian cities: Signaghi and Kvareli.
“We want to support our poor and deliver long term aid to them, which was Ilia Chavchavadze’s dream,” noted Papashvili.
In his words, since 2003 Georgia’s steps were estimated positively, the country’s rating was increased every other hour. World giant HSBC entered the local market and Georgia has seen big support from the whole of Europe and the United States.
“Now we, businessmen must work hard to develop our own native products for which we do have great resources. There are directions needing to be regulated. I’m sure that the spine of the Georgian economy is in agriculture,” said Papashvili. “In the ‘80s agriculture took up 21% of the whole market, now it’s just over 1 percent. It should be realized that the whole of Kakheti is not just a micro zone of Kindzmarauli, it has a big potential for producing cheese, nuts.”
The most serious problem for wine-making, in Papashvili’s opinion, is old technologies.
“We must get ready to enter the European market with the highest level wine and in doing this we must first of all replace the technologies, which are older than 200-300 years. As for my personal business interests in this respect, in four years I’ll have the first wine harvest as a result of all new technologies. That’s why my wine will cost over USD 50,” Papashvili added.
During the Russo-Georgian war Redix did not see any losses; they just dropped the speed of construction, which was soon restored. Till the end of this year Redix will finish the big project at Vaja Pshavela, 90% of which has already been sold.
By Madona Gasanova
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