Emory University is proud to honor David Tkeshelashvili, a native of the republic of Georgia and graduate of Emory Law School and the State Minister for Regional Issues, as this year’s recipient of the Sheth Distinguished International Alumni Award.

The annual Sheth Award, established by Mahdu and Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing, recognizes Emory’s international alumni who have gone on to achieve prominence in their careers around the world.

“David is an outstanding example of what international students bring to our community – a desire to learn about our nation’s law and institutions and a capacity to impart a comparative perspective to our classes and students,” said David F. Partlett, dean of Emory Law School and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law. “That accurate, comparative, and deep knowledge strengthens respect for the rule of law and allows constructive conversations between nations. We’re so proud to count David among our graduates.”

Tkeshelashvili is being honored for his work in international law and his service to his country through his dedication to improving human rights law standards and practices. A participant in the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program during his time at Emory from 2005-06, Tkeshelashvili previously served as Georgia’s Minister of Health, Labor, and Social Welfare and from 2006-07, as the Minister of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources.

Tkeshelashvili, who received a law degree from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, began his career in government in 1993 when he joined the Regional Department of the Citizen Union’s Youth Branch as the department’s secretary and deputy chair and later as its press secretary. Elected to Parliament in 1995 at the age of 25, from 1998-2002, Tkeshelashvili served as the chair of the youth arm of the Citizen Union, followed by his post as chair of the sub-committee for Relations with Media and Non-governmental Organizations of the Human Rights Committee. In 2004, he was re-elected to Parliament on the party list of Georgia’s current President Mikheil Saakashvili’s National Movement.

As a Muskie Fellow, Tkeshelashvili concentrated on the subject of international law, taking courses in international human rights law, law of international institutions, and law of democracy. Active in both his home and host communities, Tkeshelashvili was engaged in projects to create partnerships between Georgians and Americans, including work with the Atlanta-Tbilisi Sister City Partnership to organize a visit of the Tbilisi City council to Atlanta and collaboration with Emory faculty on joint projects with the Ministries of Education, Agriculture, and Health of Georgia. While in Atlanta, Tkeshelashvili received training at The Carter Center Human Rights Program and teamed with Emory Law School on issues related to judicial reform in Georgia.

“This award highlights David’s contribution as a young leader in his country, Georgia, which has a history of religious pluralism since ancient times and which is today a strategically important and vital nexus between Europe and Asia,” said Vice Provost for International Affairs and Chair of the Sheth Award Selection Committee Holli Semetko.

“David’s involvement in both the Emory and Atlanta communities while he was here as a student was extraordinary,” said Partlett. “He helped build bridges between Emory and his home country of Georgia. His work opened the way for collaborative research projects as well as student and faculty exchanges.”

Established in 1992, the Atlanta-Tbilisi Healthcare Partnership contributes expertise, personnel, medical literature, and supplies to the nation of Georgia, whose healthcare and medical education systems have been devastated by civil war and economic crises since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Partnership is a collaborative effort between institutions in Georgia and their Atlanta counterparts, including the Emory Schools of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health and Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Georgia State University, Morehouse School of Medicine, Grady Memorial Hospital and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Tkeshelashvili will be honored at an International Awards Dinner on March 31, 2008. For more information on the Sheth Award, including past winners who were part of this year’s selection committee, visit www.international.emory.edu/sub-awards.htm#sheth.