The Library of Congress selected Columbia to host five Georgian delegates this week as part of the Open World Leadership Program. The delegates include public officials and law, journalism, and government administrators from different political regions of Georgia. The program teaches the delegates about American educational and government systems.

Bakur Kvaratskhelia went to an exchange program at a western Missouri high school and now lives in Georgia. He was the delegation's facilitator, as the delegates speak very little English. 

"They are especially interested in where funding comes from," said Kvaratskhelia. "(Also) what jurisdiction applies to what, and county, city, and state government. That part (state government) is very different from Georgia's."

The delegates are touring Columbia College and will visit MU's business and journalism schools. At Grant Elementary School, Columbia officials showed the delegates an eco-school house. This special room outside of the main building was engineered to conserve energy, improve student health, and save money. The delegates are looking to learn from American business and government models in order to improve their own government services back in Georgia.  

"They're amazed by the process, they're amazed by the system, and they ask questions and learn a lot about it," Kvaratskhelia said. "And they have a chance to compare it to their system."  

The Library of Congress chose Missouri to host the event because of its unique connection to Georgia.

"Because of our sister city relationship to Kutaisi, we were actually approached to see if we would be interested in hosting the delegation," City of Columbia spokesperson Renee Graham.

The delegates' main goal is to decentralize their government back home. Columbia has four other sister cities, including one in Japan, Romania, China and the Republic of Korea.