I have no idea how many people would be familiar in this country with the activity of the International Foundation of Journalists and the Golden Feather Award, established and annually given out by this Foundation, but it certainly deserves the services of this pen.
Two days ago, the 15th of April, the main reception hall of ExpoGeorgia hosted the Golden Feather Award ceremony, paying tribute to the most distinguished television and radio journalists of 2013. This is the highest and the most prestigious journalistic prize in Georgia, counting eleven years of existence and taking place once a year.
The solemnly organized and red-carpeted ceremony with a glass of Champaign going around the copious round tables for a sitting reception was an outstanding success. The audience – mostly journalistic – enthusiastically rooted for the candidates, accompanying every single prize delivery with a big hand in addition to the musical cheer, provided by the specially invited string quintet residing on beautifully adorned stage. Nineteen journalists and two TV programs were the recipients of the cherished award for the distinguished and creative journalistic activity.
The success of the event was a direct result of a very productive cooperation between the founder of the Foundation Eteri Jishkariani and its current president Tamar (better known as Tako) Pkhakadze – the editor-in-chief of the Prime Time weekly newspaper, energetically assisted by the secretary of the Foundation Tamar Machavariani.
The decision, revealing the winners was made by the competent jury headed by the consulting editor of the Georgian Journal. Among the members of the jury were professor of journalism Nodar Tabidze, famous Georgian artist Gia Bugadze, well-known journalist Marika Darchia, theatrical director Gocha Kapanadze and Eteri Jishkariani herself.
The event was sponsored by a giant cell communication provider Geocell, headed by its president and CEO Pasi Koistinen who handed over one of the prizes and made a brief speech thereof. Ministry of culture of Georgia was another sponsor whose representatives were also respectfully present.
All was good and great except one accidental downside, so to speak. The famous Georgian actor and the darling of our public as well as the main image-maker of Geocell Duta Skhirtladze was in charge of a responsible job of a master of ceremonies which he did with a zero enthusiasm of an MC and most importantly, without his habitual zest and vigor on the stage.
This strong and famous showman showed practically no interest in the success of our beloved Golden Feather show. He made an impression as if nothing serious was happening around. Why? Kill me, I don’t know why. And nobody knows either. Whatever . . . Let bygones be bygones, but next year I want to have somebody more enthusiastic in this important role, to say the least. Thanks anyway, as they usually say when things go awry. Thank God, the event was so powerfully built that a couple of cracks in the wall had no deplorable effect at all. I wish Skhirtladze knew enough English to read into this piece and get the nettling signal from all of us in our wonderful Golden Feather team. Sorry Duta, baby! Things happen, we know, don’t we?
And finally, three special pecuniary awards were given out – the Zurab Tsereteli Bonus. God bless the man who established the valuable prize – famous Georgian sculptor and painter currently living and working in Moscow – a genuine citizen of the world, always ready to give assistance to his beloved fellow country men and women. As Eteri Jishkariani had fairly noticed, the establishment of the Zurab Tsereteli Biannual Special Monetary reward for Journalists of Georgia was one of the best things that the Foundation had ever done.
Tako Pkhakadze, one of the grateful recipients of the prize made a commitment that giving out cash rewards to distinguished journalists should become a well-established tradition in the activity of the International Foundation of Journalists. The next year ceremony should be even better and more gratifying – Tako concluded. Conclusively, this is all very important – our journalists need solid incentives like Golden Feather Award and the Zurab Tsereteli Bonus to continue working with more interest and much better results to the benefit of our society, whose expectations have always been high towards our national journalism.