On Friday 5 September 2026, at the official opening of Ambassadori Aviation Village in Kakheti, Peter Sodermans — Honorary Consul of Georgia in Luxembourg and organiser of the Private Pilot Expedition to Georgia 2026 — delivered the following speech to the Prime Minister of Georgia, senior ministers, invited guests, Ambassadori Group and the pilots of the expedition. The speech is reproduced in full below.

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Prime Minister, Ministers, distinguished guests, dear friends, fellow pilots,

It is a very special privilege for me to stand here tonight — both as Honorary Consul of Georgia in Luxembourg and as the organiser of our Private Pilot Expedition from Luxembourg to Georgia.

This evening also has a personal meaning for me.

Minister Maka Bochorishvili, I remember very well our conversation in the spring, when we discussed this project and the idea of bringing a large group of European private pilots all the way to Georgia. At that moment, it was still a plan. Tonight, looking at all these aircraft and pilots here in Kakheti, that plan has become reality.

I would also like to express my very warm thanks to Ambassador Vakhtang “Vato” Makharoblishvili, who supported this expedition actively from the very beginning. His involvement went far beyond protocol. He followed the project closely, encouraged us throughout the preparation — and it was a particular honour for me to have him beside me in the aircraft for our final leg from Batumi to Kakheti, flying together over his own country.

A few days ago, our aircraft were still scattered across Western Europe. Today, they are here in Kakheti.

We crossed Europe, the Balkans and Türkiye, not simply to reach another airport, but to discover a country.

And what we have discovered in Georgia has exceeded our expectations: extraordinary landscapes, remarkable hospitality and, above all, an openness towards aviation that has been truly refreshing.

General aviation is much more than aircraft flying from one airfield to another.

It connects regions. It brings entrepreneurs, professionals, families and travellers directly into areas that often remain outside the traditional tourism routes.

These visitors stay in hotels, discover restaurants and Georgian wine, visit regions, meet people — and very often, they return.

That is why I strongly believe that general aviation can become an important gateway for high-value, low-impact tourism in Georgia.

Our expedition was never intended to be simply an adventure for a group of pilots. We hoped, in our own modest way, to help open another door to Georgia — and to demonstrate to pilots throughout Europe that this country is accessible, welcoming and very much worth discovering.

And perhaps there is also a lesson here for some of our friends in Europe.

At a time when general aviation in parts of Europe is too often regarded as something to restrict, regulate or make increasingly difficult, Georgia is demonstrating another approach: seeing aviation as an opportunity.

An opportunity for tourism.
An opportunity for investment.
An opportunity for regional development.
And, above all, an opportunity to connect people.

What is being created here at Ambassadori Aviation Village perfectly embodies that vision.

It sends a very simple message to the international aviation community:

Georgia welcomes aviation.
Georgia welcomes pilots.
And Georgia is open to the world.

I would like to thank the Government of Georgia, the Georgian aviation authorities, Ambassadori Group, Tornike Keburia and everyone who has contributed to making this expedition possible.

And finally, to my fellow pilots: when we fly home, our expedition should not end.

We should become ambassadors for Georgia ourselves.

Tell other pilots what you have seen. Tell them about Kakheti, Batumi, the Caucasus and the hospitality you have experienced.

And tell them that Georgia deserves a prominent place on the flying map of Europe.

Because sometimes aviation does much more than connect two airports.

It connects countries, cultures and people.

Thank you, and congratulations on the opening of Ambassadori Aviation Village.

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A video recording of the speech, filmed by Alejandro Sodermans, will be added here shortly.