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The News in Brief

Tuesday, March 23
Georgian President to attend convention of European People’s Party

A convention of the European People’s Party will be held in Brussels on 25 March. The Georgian President will attend it.

About 15 Heads of State will attend the convention, Nino Kalandadze, Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia, said at the traditional Monday briefing. She said that a meeting is scheduled between the Georgian President and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen within the framework of the convention.

"The acceleration of Georgia's integration with NATO will be discussed at the meeting," Nino Kalandadze said.
(Interpressnews)



President awards rugby players

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili awarded members of the national rugby team and their coach the Order of Honour after their victory in Saturday's match with Russia.

"Georgia’s supporters called the match a match of honour. I want to bestow on all participants of the game the Order of Honour," the President said. The players will also be awarded monetary prizes by the Rugby Federation of Georgia.

At his meeting with the sportsmen the Georgian President signed into law the rugby development programme, which involves the construction of stadiums in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and Poti. In summer, Georgia will host the Black Sea States rugby tournament.
(Rustavi 2)



Metropolitan Theodore blesses juvenile convicts

Deputy Minister of Corrections and Legal Assistance Giorgi Makasarashvili and Head of the charitable foundation “New Way of Life” Shuqri Burchuladze visited the Educational Establishment for Juveniles to view its ongoing woodcarving project. This scheme, funded by the foundation, aims to support the re-socialisation of juvenile convicts and their further reintegration into society.

Metropolitan Theodore of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti visited the Establishment with Makasarashvili and Burchuladze. He presented the juveniles with copies of the New Testament and blessed the building.

Metropolitan Theodore expressed his gratitude to the administration of the Establishment and the Ministry. He said they are doing their best to offer juveniles the chance of a normal life and the prospect of becoming full members of society.
(Rustavi 2)



Exhibition in Vilnius Square

On March 22 the world marked International Water Day. The Tbilisi Water Distribution Company and the Embassy of Lithuania arranged a photo exhibition dedicated to the problem of water in Vilnius Square on that day.

The photos exhibited were taken by Lithuanian photographer Thomas Kaunetskas. The slogan of the exhibition was '2039 - More Than Just Water'. The photos depict the future of the globe, if its residents fail to consume water properly.

Foreign diplomats and Georgian Government members were invited to the exhibition.
(Rustavi 2)



Ukrainian media says Guatemala may recognise South Ossetia

Guatemala may recognise so-called South Ossetia as independent, Ukraine's wek.com.ua says.

President of Guatemala Alvaro Colom arrived in Moscow on Sunday. He met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday.

According to the website one of the main results of the meeting might be the recognition of so-called South Ossetia by Guatemala in return for some financial guarantees from Russia. President Colom will also meet representatives of Russian business and discuss attracting Russian investments to Guatemala.

The President of Guatemala is visiting Russia on the invitation of the Russian President. The visit will end today.
(Interpressnews)



Best Linguist competition held online

The second round of the ' Best Linguist in English' competition has been conducted at Kutaisi public school ¹17. The participants used communication technologies during the competition.

Deputy Minister of Education and Science Irine Kurdadze observed the second round. The competition is being held with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science, Educational and Scientific Infrastructure Development Agency (Deer Leap), the Kutaisi Educational Resource Centre, the Department of English Language at Tsereteli State University and the Embassies of the United States and UK to Georgia. 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th graders of Georgian public and private schools participate in it.

The competition has three rounds. The goal of this project is to develop schoolchildren's level of knowledge and usage of the English language and general ability in communication technology and identify the best linguist.

The first round finished on March 1, 2010. 280 schoolchildren from different regions of Georgia (Tbilisi, Rustavi, Gori, Kutaisi, Kareli, Zestaponi, Sachkhere, Batumi, Samtredia, Kobuleti, Poti, Zugdidi, Tkibuli) participated in it. 213 winners of the first round participated in the second, fulfilling their task without office equipment, using only IT.

The third round will take place in April. All schoolchildren, who pass the second round, will take part in it. The winners will be awarded computers.
(Interpressnews)