Sophie Katsarava

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Sophie Katsarava
სოფიო ქაცარავა
Ambassador of Georgia to the United Kingdom
Assumed office
April 2020
PresidentSalome Zourabichvili
Member of Parliament
In office
18 November 2016 – 10 December 2019
Personal details
Born (1976-12-08) December 8, 1976 (age 47)

Sophie Katsarava MBE (Georgian: სოფიო ქაცარავა, Sofio Katsarava, born 8 December 1976),[1] is a Georgian politician, diplomat and philologist. She was appointed Georgian Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2020.[2] Between 2016 and 2019 she was a Georgian Dream Member of the Parliament of Georgia.[3]

Early life and education[edit]

Born in 1976 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Katsarava studied English Language and Literature at Tbilisi's Ilia Chavchavadze State University of Language and Culture, graduating in 1999.[1]

Career[edit]

Having worked as press and public relations project manager at World Wildlife Fund from 1997 to 2004, Katsarava joined the British Embassy in Tbilisi in 2005, where her roles included Project Manager, Head of Press and Public Relations, and ultimately Political Secretary.[4] She led the embassy's Chevening Scholarship programme.[5]

In 2016, Katsarava joined the Georgian Dream party as an advisor in the Department for International Relations,[1] moving on to become a Member of the Parliament of Georgia on 18 November 2016. During her tenure she was Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Chairman of the Friendship Group with the United Kingdom, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Dimension of the Wardrop Strategic Dialogue between Georgia and the United Kingdom.[4] In November 2019 she left the Georgian Dream party and her position in parliament.[6]

In April 2020 Katsarava became Georgian Ambassador to the United Kingdom.[7]

Awards[edit]

In 2016, having served 11 years at the British Embassy in Tbilisi, Katsarava was appointed as Honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), in recognition of her outstanding contribution to strengthening relations between Georgia and the United Kingdom in the education sector.[8][9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Sofio Katsarava". Parliament of Georgia. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Georgia has new ambassadors to Great Britain, Germany, Greece". Agenda.ge. 21 February 2020.
  3. ^ "SOPHIE KATSARAVA: Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs" (PDF). Parliament of Georgia. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b "სოფიო ქაცარავა (1976)" (in Georgian and English). National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Ruling party presents totally renewed, rejuvenated election list". Agenda.ge. 4 November 2016.
  6. ^ "ჩუგოშვილმა, ცქიტიშვილმა, ხულორდავამ და ქაცარავამ უმრავლესობა და ქართული ოცნება დატოვეს". On.ge (in Georgian). 14 November 2019.
  7. ^ "Embassy of Georgia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Ruling party member awarded Most Excellent Order of British Empire". agenda.ge. 4 November 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Prime Minister Attends MBE Reception at the British Embassy". newsday.ge. 4 November 2016.