FEAST OR FAMINE

A newly established Japanese garden was launched in the National Botanical Garden of Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday 22 October 2016. The small garden of 250 square metres is situated above the Visitors Centre with a view of the Sololaki Ridge. It features traditional Japanese garden structures, such as a Torii Gate, a Tasoutou-style stone tower (for happiness and luck), a Kasuga stone lantern, and a traditional red bridge. There is also a conic structure representing Mt. Fuji, which is made from lava directly from the Mt. Fuji slopes, specially transported from Japan to Georgia. Tbilisi’s mayor, Davit Narmania, opened the new Japanese garden with Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Davit Jalagonia, and the Japanese Ambassador to Georgia, Toshio Kaitani, with other dignatories. The dignatories planted a number of Japanese trees in the garden, such as Japanese maples, Japanese cherry (Sakura) trees, firs, pines, and other national plants. The Japanese company,

World Vegan Day is celebrated annually on 1 November. Established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate its 50th anniversary, it has now become an annual event and an annual month. While The Vegan Society is 72 years old, this year marks the 22nd anniversary of the Vegan Month of November. Vegans do not eat meat, like vegetarians. But unlike vegetarians, vegans do not eat any products from animals. It is a plant-based way of living, or diet, avoiding meat, fish, shellfish, insects, dairy, eggs, and even honey. Every November The Vegan Society encourages people to take a 30 Day Vegan Pledge to not eat animal products. Veganism is a way of living, which seeks to exclude, as much as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness o

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).