[Press Release] : City hosts delegation from Republic of Georgia

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Contact: Renee Graham
Public Information Officer
(573) 874-7316

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2009

City hosts delegation from Republic of Georgia

	(COLUMBIA, MO) -- Delegates from the Republic of Georgia are
visiting Columbia this week as part of the Open World Leadership Program
(www.openworld.gov) which is funded through the Library of Congress.  
	The delegates arrived Saturday, Nov. 7, and will depart Sunday,
Nov. 15. Their schedule includes learning sessions, tours, visits with
city officials and community leaders, social events and networking
opportunities. They want to decentralize and improve government services
through communication, collaboration and partnerships. 
	The delegates are enjoying home stays with local residents,
including Jim and Vera Rhodes, John and Judy Baker, Marilyn and Charles
Hargrove and Lesley Sapp.
	The delegates are public officials who serve as municipal or
regional administrators or financial directors from various communities
in Georgia, including Columbia’s Sister City, Kutaisi. The delegates
were selected through a competitive process organized by the Georgian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the American Council for
International Education. The delegation includes the following
individuals.

Ioseb Buadze, Director, Department of Economic and Infrastructure
Development Khashuri Municipality Administration (Gamgeoba*) 

Konstantine  Kavtaradze, Deputy Director, Financial Department 
City of K’ut’aisi  (Columbia’s Sister City since April 1997) 

George Petruzashvili, Deputy Gamgebeli (Chief Executive Officer) 
Gurjaani Municipality Administration (Gamgeoba*) 

Davit Shaburishvili, Chief Specialist, Budget and Financial Planning
Dusheti Municipality Council 

* executive branch of local self-governance

	A local host planning group has designed an extensive itinerary
for the delegates. The planning group includes: Dr. Trish Blair, A Call
To Service (ACTS); Dolores Shearon, University of Missouri Extension;
Kee and Diana Groshong, longtime ACT supporters and hosts of previous
delegates; ACTS supporter Bob Russell; 
Renee Reed-Miller, Rotary World Community Service chair; Lesley Sapp,
English Proficiency Institute (EPI) coordinator at MU Asian Affairs; and
Renee Graham, the city’s public communications officer. 
	On Monday, the delegation met with federal, state and local
elected officials and toured the Boone County Government Center and City
Hall. Tuesday, the delegation met with various experts in finance and
economic development. Wednesday morning was spent with various social
agencies.
	Their schedule for the remainder of the week includes tours and
visits with city officials, visits to Columbia College and the
University of Missouri, action planning sessions with MU professor Steve
Jeannetta, receptions at the University of Missouri and a Rotary
fund-raiser for A Call To Serve that features Georgian foods, wine and
music on Thursday evening, Nov. 12. 

itinerary:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Public_Information/Press_Releases/documents/GeorgianDelegationforweb11-11-09.pdf

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