The Alpine Club and British Georgian Society are delighted to welcome Vano Vashakmadze for his illustrated talk: The Mountains of Georgia. Tuesday 25th March at 7.30pm (bar opens at 6.00pm).

The Alpine Club, 55 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 1QF (nearest tube Old Street)

RSVP info@britishgeorgiansociety.org

Vano will talk about his own experience climbing the great peaks of the Caucasus and focus particularly on the important mountain heritage of Georgia, the legacy of the past and the great opportunities that the future holds. He will talk about his expeditions on Mounts Kazbek & Ushba and the importance of the tremendous achievements of Douglas Freshfield, past President of the Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society. Plans to commemorate Freshfield’s first ascent of Mount Kazbek in 1868, led by Vano, are well underway and the potential for future British/Georgian cooperation on this and other matters related to the exploration of the Caucasus are extremely promising.

Vano is head of the Department of Information Technology and Education at the National Agency for the Cultural Heritage of Georgia. He is a founder member of the Association of Mountain Guides of Georgia and a certified mountain and ski guide. He has many years of experience climbing in the Caucasus and has a particular interest in the future development of the mountain regions of Georgia, the preservation and protection of mountain culture, heritage and the environment. He is deeply committed to supporting local populations in remote mountain areas, in creating education programmes for local young people to increase their knowledge, understanding and expertise and to train them as climbers and guides, and guardians of their natural and cultural environments.

Vano has worked extensively with organizations and international agencies such as USAID and the WWF in the planning and operation of eco-tourism and the development & sustainability of mountain communities. He is a founder member of the European Mountain Forum and a member of the Global Mountain Forum. He has enormous experience and far too many qualifications to mention here! He is a great enthusiast and an energetic advocate for Georgia’s mountain heritage, and a wonderfully entertaining speaker. We are delighted that he has agreed to come and talk to us. The Alpine Club and the British Georgian Society look forward to welcoming him and all our members and friends.

Vano will be supported by Peter Nasmyth (Walking in the Caucasus; In the Mountains of Poetry; etc.) and Tony Anderson (Bread & Ashes, A Walk through the Mountains of Georgia; etc.). Both Peter and Tony are on the board of BGS and Fellows of the RGS, and have been working with Vano on the Freshfield project.

The Alpine Club is situated at 55 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 1QF and the nearest tube station is Old Street on the Northern Line. It takes about 10-15 minutes maximum to walk from there. Lectures start at 7.30 with the bar opening from 6.00pm. Lectures are free but we normally ask non-members to make a non-obligatory small donation. Contact the administrator, Yvonna Hudowski on admin@alpine-club.org.uk if you are a non-member and wish to attend. To access the building simply push the button marked Office or lecture theatre and wait to be admitted. The lecture room is directly ahead on entering the building.