I’m in Tbilisi for our conference on “Freedom, Commerce, and Peace: A Regional Agenda.” It starts tomorrow evening, but many of the participants are arriving tonight (Tbilisi is a great place, but not the easiest to reach, especially after the Russian government banned all travel between the Russian Federation and Georgia). What was originally planned for 100 participants has grown to at least 180 (and maybe more). It’s great to talk to libertarians from so many countries (28 in all) and to feel the excitement for the advancement of freedom.
The keynote speaker tomorrow night will be Nobel Laureate Vernon Smith, who will speak on a topic that has gained greater significance since the Russian blockade on trade and travel with Georgia: “Globalization and Liberty.” The speakers were chosen for their ability to inspire, as well as for their practical knowledge. The other banquet speakers will be Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli and former Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar (winner of the Cato Institute’s 2006 Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty). I’ll be posting occasionally from the conference.
It’s been a lot of work, but I have every confidence that it will be the start of something important.
I hope papers from the conference will be available.
And if you get any sense of what average Georgians think of the troubles with Russia, or what participants think of the future of Russia, I’d be particularly interested in hearing that.