One of the most eye-opening moments of my time as the deputy assistant secretary for digital strategy at the U.S. State Department occurred on a trip to the country of Georgia, aimed at helping the government build its digital capacity to better serve its population. Our message was the same advice we’d given to countless governments: Focus on Facebook. It was the dominant player. Elites tended to use Twitter. Google ads were worth it if you had the money. But for governments wanting to reach real people on a global scale, Facebook was the scalable, smart solution. 

For the next two weeks in Tbilisi, an exhibition will celebrate ties between Georgia and Japan in the field of ballet art through the legacy of famed 20th century dancer Vakhtang Chabukiani. Titled Japan and the Georgian Ballet, the display will mark the many decades of the cooperation with a focus on a 1974 series of master classes led by Chabukiani in Tokyo.

This year Georgia and Cyprus are celebrating 25 years of diplomatic relations, and I think we have achieved substantial progress in forming excellent political, economic and cultural cooperation in this time. [...] I’m extremely proud of taking part in this endeavor. Last year we initiated the Georgian Culture Festival which was held in Nicosia and Limassol. This year we have added the beautiful city of Paphos as well.