Ambassador Bass Travelling to Kakheti

December 14, 2011

Ambassador Bass Poses with Students from Napareuli Eco-Club.

Ambassador John Bass and Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection Giorgi Zedginidzeintroduced a $6.5 million U.S. Government funded project for integrated natural resourcemanagement in Telavi on December 14th. The project, managed by the Unites States Agencyfor International Development (USAID), supports local communities in efforts to improvedrinking water systems, implement erosion, landslide and flood control measures, and engageyouth groups in natural resource and environmental protection through eco-clubs.

Also on December 14, Ambassador Bass inaugurated the U.S. Government supported Centerfor Civic Engagement in Telavi. The Center is one of the ten U.S. Government-funded centersthat will operate in cities across Georgia to offer the public places to gather and engage in opendebate and discourse on issues of public concern. The centers are leased and operated for thepeople of those cities by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).The U.S. Government has invested $5 million in the centers in Ozurgeti, Kutaisi, Telavi, Gori,Zugdidi, Batumi, Akhaltsikhe, Rustavi, Marneuli, and Gurjaani.

Ambassador Bass visited the American Corner, met with Peace Corps volunteers serving in theregion, and met with the regional journalists at a Gurjaani based television station.