A Georgian airmail stamp remembers the victims of September 11th.

In addition to its Ambassadorial and diplomatic representation in Washington and at the United Nations, Georgia has at least two other very powerful and useful points of contact in the United States. Based near Boston is the American Friends of Georgia. In late June that organization joined together with the very savvy America-Georgia Business Council, headed by Mamuka Tsereteli, to present an intriguing special performance of Georgian theater, Silent Hamlet, at the Stanislavsky Playhouse in Washington. All proceeds from the event were donated to relief for victims of the earthquake that struck Georgia in April, taking seven lives.

The performance consisted of a wordless enactment of the highlights of the great Shakespearean play but in a style appropriate for Georgian theater, heavy on the choreography and dance and finessing any language problems. The theater group seems to have overtaken this avant garde playhouse, also in the Georgian manner where theater and dance are wildly popular. In Tbilisi there are no less than thirty theaters with a dozen plays going at any one time.

The America-Georgia Business Council is the first stop for business interests seeking involvement in Georgia. It is also the best point of contact for Georgian entities seeking to do business with the United States.

The Council’s Fifth Annual Conference is scheduled for October 10-11 in Tbilisi, organized around the theme of “Building Economic Security for Georgia.” The meeting will be addressed by President Shevardnadze, Parliament Speaker Nino Burdjanadze and other figures from Georgian, European and American government and business.

Participation information may be obtained from Mamuka Tserteli in Washington, D.C. at 202-416-1607.