TBILISI 18 March 2024 – H.E. Henry S. Bensurto Jr., Philippine Ambassador to Georgia met with Deputy Minister H.E. George Mirtskhulava, at the Georgian Ministry of Culture (MFA) on 07 March 2025 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Photo: Philippine Ambassador to Georgia, Henry S. Bensurto Jr., with H.E. Deputy Minister H.E. George Mirtskhulava at the Georgian Ministry of Culture (Photo courtesy of Georgian Ministry of Culture)
Deputy Minister Mirtskhulava warmly welcomed Ambassador Bensurto to Georgia and looks forward to having more active engagement and establishing closer ties, despite long distances between countries. Ambassador Bensurto thanked the Deputy Minister for the hospitality and shared that culture is beginning to become a crucial pillar of foreign policy at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.
As an outcome of the recently concluded 4th PH-Georgia Political consultations, both sides wanted to deepen and broaden the relations between our countries with respect to culture. A crucial first step towards this is the speedy negotiation and conclusion of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cultural Cooperation between both countries.
Deputy Minister Mirtskhulava shared there is much room for cooperation with four premier art universities that call Georgia home and over eighty (80) organizations that the Philippines could collaborate with in terms of choral music, orchestration, film cinematography, festivals, theater arts, among others.
Ambassador Bensurto added that other potential areas of cooperation include basketball diplomacy, noting the popularity of the Georgian basketball team during the Philippine hosting of FIBA in 2023 as well as collaboration in exchanging wine culture, as wine drinking has become a more popular pastime in the Philippines.
Ambassador Bensurto also shared that he wants to elevate PH-Georgian relations by planning to host its annual Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi, Georgia during his tenure as Ambassador to Georgia. This includes exploring possibilities to invite world-class Filipino talent to perform in Georgia, as the Ambassador has done in Ankara in the past.
In attendance were Mr. Aleksandre Kekelia, Counsellor of the Division of Central and East Asian Countries of the Asia-Pacific Department, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Mr. Emile Josef Garcia from the Embassy of the Philippines in Ankara,Türkiye.
Ambassador Henry S. Bensurto Jr. is the 11th Ambassador of the Philippines to Georgia, with residence in Ankara, Türkiye. The Philippines and Georgia have 32 years of diplomatic relations with ties being officially established on 21 September 1992. END.
Photo: Philippine Ambassador to Georgia, Henry S. Bensurto Jr. leading the Philippine Delegation, in his meeting with H.E. Deputy Minister H.E. George Mirtskhulava at the Georgian Ministry of Culture (Photo courtesy of Georgian Ministry of Culture)
Philippine Ambassador to Georgia, Henry S. Bensurto Jr.,(Center) with Mr. Aleksandre Kekelia, Counsellor of the Division of Central and East Asian Countries of the Asia-Pacific Department (right) , and Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Mr. Emile Josef Garcia (left) (Photo courtesy of Georgian Ministry of Culture)
