Gebrüder Weiss has inaugurated a new terminal and logistics center in Tbilisi, marking the company's third major expansion in Georgia since its market entry 12 years ago.

The opening ceremony was attended by Robert Gerschner, the Austrian Ambassador to Georgia; Thomas Moser, Gebrüder Weiss Regional Manager; and Levan Davitashvili, Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development. The event was organized with the support of the Gepra communications team.

The new facility is expected to further strengthen Gebrüder Weiss' regional logistics network and enhance Georgia’s position as a key transit hub between Europe and Asia.

The United States Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), in partnership with Georgian consultancy Gepra, hosted a two-day seminar titled “Improving Food Safety of Raw and Finished Poultry Products” at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metekhi Palace Hotel on June 5–6.

The event opened with a seminar led by Dr. Amit Morey, a food safety expert invited from the United States. On the second day, representatives of local companies and organizations engaged in one-on-one consultations with Dr. Morey, receiving tailored recommendations on minimizing food safety risks in poultry production.

USAPEEC, a non-profit industry organization, aims to raise awareness and promote global demand for U.S. poultry and egg products, while supporting international stakeholders in improving food safety standards across the supply chain.

The Georgian-Basque Gastronomic Congress, titled “Culinary Connection Euskadi–Georgia”, was held on March 3 in Georgia’s Kakheti region, marking one of the most significant culinary events of 2024.

The congress brought together over 250 participants and featured panel discussions, live culinary demonstrations, and presentations by renowned chefs from both Georgia and Spain’s Basque Country. Chefs from leading hotels and restaurants across Georgia were invited to attend the event.

A delegation from the Basque Culinary Center—including chefs and sommeliers—traveled to Kakheti, where they joined Georgian counterparts in tasting traditional cuisine and regional wines, further strengthening cultural and gastronomic ties between the two countries.

Organizers and participants hailed the event as a milestone in the development of Georgian gastronomy. There are hopes the congress will become an annual fixture, helping position Georgia as a destination for culinary tourism and international gastronomic collaboration.

A media seminar titled “First Aid in Cardiac Arrest” was held under the auspices of the Heart Rhythm Association, as part of the broader awareness campaign “Minutes Make the Difference... Bring Life Back to the Heart.” The initiative aims to enhance public understanding—particularly among media professionals—of first aid techniques and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

The seminar concluded with a hands-on training session where participants were taught the fundamentals of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including proper technique for chest compressions and the practical use of a defibrillator.

Organizers emphasized that improving public knowledge of cardiac arrest response, along with expanding access to AEDs in public spaces, significantly increases survival rates and saves lives.

On September 8th, a focused working meeting unfolded, bringing together key representatives from the Adjara Cultural Heritage Protection Agency, USAID Georgia's Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) Activity, and consultants from Gepra. The meeting marked a significant step toward the development of a robust two-year communications strategy.

Highlights from the Strategy Document:

• Communication Goals and Objectives: The document delineates the overarching communication aims and the specific objectives designed to achieve them.
• Target Audience Overview: It outlines the key demographics and stakeholders who are the focus of the communication efforts.
• Audience-Specific Objectives: The strategy goes further to tailor objectives according to individual audience groups.
• Designated Communication Channels: Identifies the platforms and channels most effective for reaching the target audiences.
• Recommendations Package: Offers a comprehensive set of guidelines and best practices to optimize communication.
• Efficiency Evaluation Framework: Provides a structured scheme to assess the effectiveness of the communication initiatives.

The collaborative effort aims to build a sophisticated communications strategy that goes beyond just dissemination of information; it seeks to engage different community groups, promote cultural heritage protection, and evaluate the impact of these efforts. This initiative represents a monumental step in safeguarding and promoting Adjara’s rich cultural heritage through well-crafted strategic communication.

Gepra has been at the forefront of sustainable development efforts in Georgia, and its latest involvement in the #GRETA project is a testament to that commitment. The project, Green Economy: Sustainable Mining Tourism and Organic Agriculture, is implemented by the Austrian Development Agency and is co-financed by the European Union, Sweden, and Austria. Its primary goal is to stimulate the business environment in specific regions of Georgia by creating new income sources in sustainable mining tourism and organic agriculture.

As part of this ambitious initiative, Gepra consultants Salome Kvrivishvili and Anuki Tskhovrebadze recently completed a two-week working tour through the regions of Racha, Imereti, and Svaneti. The duo visited several villages, including Sveri, Gelati, Gheli, Ghe, Lakhushdi, and Ushguli, to engage with local businesses and communities.

One of the key activities during this tour was a series of digital marketing training sessions aimed at six family-owned hotels in these regions. These trainings provided the hotels with tailored digital communication strategies and ongoing consulting services. The move is expected to significantly boost the local tourism industry by enhancing the digital presence and marketing capabilities of these hotels.

The #GRETA project and Gepra's role in it underscore the transformative power of multi-disciplinary efforts. Through its comprehensive approach to sustainable development, digital transformation, and capacity building, Gepra continues to make strides in fostering meaningful, long-term change in communities across Georgia.

A specialized workshop was held at the Historical-Architectural Museum of Dadiani Palaces. This event was organized in collaboration with the USAID Georgia Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) Activity, and it involved key members of the museum's administration as well as experts from Gepra.

The primary focus of the workshop was the strategic development of marketing and communication capabilities for the Dadiani Palaces. Participants engaged in a comprehensive discussion of a situation analysis document, laying the groundwork for a unified vision and positioning strategy. Furthermore, a collaborative SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis was conducted to identify areas for improvement and potential avenues for growth.

For the first time, Gurjaani played host to an international youth forum aimed at fostering closer relationships between young people from Georgia and Europe. The event sought to share experiences, elevate local youth, stimulate their involvement, and encourage their growth.

This year's forum attracted 200 participants from across Georgia and seven European countries. The gathering served as a platform to identify outstanding speakers and top-performing teams in intellectual games.

The Gurjaani International Youth Forum is set to become an annual event, with plans for an even larger scale in subsequent editions. This landmark forum underscores the importance of international dialogue and collaboration among the younger generation, as it paves the way for future communal and transnational initiatives.