Delegates from the Republic of Georgia to Visit Woodridge

Woodridge is hosting another international visit. 

Five delegates from the Republic of Georgia will stop in on a 10-day visit to the United States to learn about municipal budgeting. The Georgian government will introduce municipal-level budgeting in 2012. 

Woodridge hosted in January 2011. 

This visit by the Georgian delegates will allow municipal officials to better understand the budget process, according to a press release. The delegates will focus on local, regional and state budgeting techniques. 

In Woodridge, they will learn:

• Community engagement efforts that help to build the municipal budget
• How government transparency builds a better educated community
• How financial priorities are determined

“Woodridge will share some innovative ideas and community engagement skills with the delegates who can then replicate those practices at home," said George Palamatta, the executive director of CIP and a former resident of Woodridge.

Two of the delegates will also stay with families in DuPage County.  

The delegates will observe the municipal budgeting process in the U.S. and meet with officials involved in different stages of the process. They will also examine the role of the public, advocacy groups, press and watchdog organizations in the budget process. 

The delegates will visit Illinois and Washington, DC. The Council of International Programs Chicago organized the visit. It is a Congressional Program, sponsored by the Open World Leadership Center at the Library of Congress. The Open World program was established in 1999 to enhance the understanding and capabilities for cooperation between the United States and countries in Eurasia and the Former Soviet Union. 

The five delegates are all municipal government officers from different cities in Georgia. The delegates include:

• Davit Andghuladze, Deputy Mayor of Kutaisi City Hall 
• Giorgi Chaganava, Director of the Department of Budget Planning and Analysis of Ozurgeti Municipality 
• Gaga Ivanidze, Head of Budgeting and Finance Department of Akhaltsikhe Municipality 
• Ekaterine Targamadze, Finance Committee Chair of Batumi City 
• Sulkhan Tolordava, Director of Poti City Department of Finance and Economic Development. 

The delegates are also accompanied with a facilitator, Vardo Gvarjaladze, Principal for the School of American Advanced Studies of Georgia.