In 2025, Georgia will mark the 30th anniversary of the introduction of its national currency, the lari. To commemorate this milestone, the National Bank of Georgia will host a large-scale international conference in Tbilisi, bringing together distinguished guests from around the world.
Titled “From Trust to Close Cooperation,” the conference will welcome over 300 participants from 30 countries. Attendees will include governors of central banks from Belgium, Iceland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Montenegro, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Armenia, Israel, India, Saudi Arabia, and others. Georgian government and parliamentary officials will also be present.
According to the NBG, the representatives from major international financial institutions-such as the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund-will join the event, alongside executives from prominent global companies including Gojo & Company, Ant International, and The Global Finance & Technology Network. Delegates from Georgia’s financial sector and business associations will also take part.
The conference will feature presentations by distinguished professors from Sorbonne University and Columbia University, leading members of the New Bretton Woods Committee, and representatives from other prominent international organizations, along with senior experts in the financial sector.
The conference will be opened by Natia Turnava, Governor of the National Bank of Georgia. A keynote address will be delivered by Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University.
Panel discussions will explore a wide range of topics, including: the global financial system and monetary policy, regional cooperation initiatives for financial sector development, the evolving role of central banks amid emerging challenges.
In celebration of the anniversary, the National Bank of Georgia will organize a series of special events and initiatives throughout the year. These include: the release of 30th anniversary commemorative coins in gold, silver, and copper-nickel, the introduction of a collector’s banknote and commemorative stamp, publication of an updated scientific-analytical journal and catalogs of Georgian currency and the lari and a range of educational and scientific activities nationwide.
The lari was officially introduced on September 25, 1995, and declared the sole legal tender in Georgia on October 2, 1995. The term “lari” is derived from an old Georgian word meaning treasure or property, while “tetri,” the subunit of the lari, has been in use as a coinage term since the 13th century.
