On 16th October, International Alert’s partner Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN) organised the annual Caucasus Tea Festival in Tbilisi, Georgia. The aim of the Festival is to promote sectoral cooperation and popularise the Caucasus Tea brand across the region.
The event was part of CBDN’s ongoing work in engaging different economic sectors in regional dialogue. The Festival provided a good opportunity not only to present an assortment of premium tea brands, but also to showcase results of cooperation by cheese-makers and wine producers of the South Caucasus – including the “Caucasian Cheese” and the “Caucasian Bouquet” (wine) – as well as the concept of a new regional project, “Caucasus Honey.”
Hundreds of people – ranging from tea experts, business representatives, authorities, diplomatic missions, NGOs and international organisations, to producers from across the South Caucasus, including Shirak, Karabakh, Samegrelo, Imereti and Zaqatala rayon – attended the event, and enjoyed tastings of the finest teas from across the region.
The event received widespread media coverage, including on national TV stations and print media. As one of the guests said, ‘I enjoyed trying the tea that is produced by tea-makers across the region. I think it is important to have these kind of initiatives where people of the Caucasus work together and events where the public enjoys tea, wine, cheese and honey without thinking about where it was made’.
CBDN promotes peacebuilding through regional economic cooperation and dialogue between all business communities across the South Caucasus. CBDN was founded in 2005 and its work is guided by a shared vision of an economically connected and cooperating peaceful Caucasus and by a set of commonly agreed principles. To find out more, please visit: www.caucasusbusiness.net [5]