Speaker

Ketevan Tskikhelashvili is the State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civic Equality. Prior to undertaking this position, Ms. Tsikhelashvili was the First Deputy Minister at the same institution and the elected chairwomen of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Georgian National Platform. She was the founder and director of the think tank, Liberal Academy Tbilisi that advocates for Georgia’s European integration. She was the representative and consultant to the German Fruedrich Naumann Foundation in Georgia and the South Caucasus for eight years. At different times she worked as a researcher and the analysis at the local and international organizations, including the University of Hamburg OSCER research center, the European Center, the NATO parliamentary Assembly’s Policy and Defense Department and European Stability Initiative in Georgia.  She also worked for public structures, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Research and Analysis Center (1998-1999), as well as the State Minister for Conflict Resolution Office (2004-2006). Ms. Tsikhelashvili received her Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Tbilisi State University (1999) as well as Master’s Degree in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University (2000). Ms. Tsikhelashvili pursues her academic career at Ilia State University and is an author of various academic works and publications.