Our organization was founded on October 30, 2017, in Los Angeles, California, by a group of like-minded professionals, with a goal of promoting and preserving Georgian culture and heritage through various educational activities, classes, concerts, exhibitions, cultural fairs, and other events.
The Georgian Cultural and Educational Center of Southern California (GCEC) is a project long in the making and dear to our hearts, and one we are very excited to share! Through public diplomacy, engagement, and sincere dedication, GCEC’s mission is to connect people of Georgian origin to each other, to their roots, and to the community at large. We aim to celebrate, preserve and share in the joys of Georgian culture while performing the important function of increasing mutual understanding between this small community and the diverse body that is Southern California. This aim requires (1) building a stronger sense of community among Georgians living in California, (2) encouraging active participation of the community members, and (3) helping Georgian immigrants understand and integrate into American civil society.
The GCEC is nascent but fiercely committed to expanding its activity and scope in pursuit of the above-stated goal. As it grows, GCEC aims to lead the organization of community events, concerts, exhibits, and lectures presenting aspects of Georgia to be shared with and celebrated by compatriots of all nationalities. In the future, we see GCEC offering not only Georgian dance and singing lessons for children and adults, but also reviving the Sunday school where children could learn a rich history, language, and literature of a small but mighty nation which might otherwise escape them.
We acknowledge that this is a complex task, but we are genuinely confident that by taking on a leadership role, increasing discourse and engagement, and integrating every member of this community into the mission of GCEC, we will build a strong community that makes California stronger. After all, we wholeheartedly stand by Georgia’s motto: Strength is in Unity.
