H. E. Consul General Maia Bartaia - Consulate General of Georgia in New York City
Guest presenter on Thursday, February 5, 2026 @ 6.30PM at the Turkish House
H.E. Maia Bartaia has served as the Consul General of Georgia in New York since September
2023. She has been President of the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York since July 2025,
having previously served as a member of the SOFC Executive Committee.
A career diplomat with more than 20 years of experience, H.E. Bartaia previously held the
position of Deputy Director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Georgia prior to her appointment in New York. She served in two consular postings abroad: at
the Embassy of Georgia to the United States in Washington, D.C. (2012–2016), and at the
Embassy of Georgia to the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the
Mission of Georgia to the European Communities (2008–2012).
From 2005 to 2008, she held several positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia,
primarily focused on consular affairs. Earlier in her career, between 2000 and 2004, she served in
various roles across different governmental institutions.
H.E. Bartaia holds a Master of Arts in International Politics from European Centre for
International and Strategic Studies (CERIS) in Brussels, Belgium, and a Law Degree with
distinction from Tbilisi State University.
Between 2017 and 2023, she lectured at the Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research
Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, delivering courses on consular crisis
management and other consular-related topics.
The session will be moderated by Cigdem Atay Binal:
Çigdem is a Partner at Activate Consulting, working with technology and media companies to define growth strategies and improve business performance through product, pricing, new business and go-to-market strategies. She also works with private equity firms on strategic due diligence and performance improvement.
Prior to joining Activate, Çigdem was a venture capitalist, focused on B2B technologies. Her experience spans adtech, video, ecommerce, marketplaces, consumer electronics, media data and measurement, filmed entertainment, travel, news and digital publishing.
Consular Meeting – Program Agenda
6:30 PM – Guest Arrival & Welcome Reception
Guests arrive and are welcomed
7:00 PM – Seating & Dinner Service Begins
Guests are invited to take their seats
7:30 PM – Opening & Moderated Conversation
Moderator and Consul General take their seats
Opening remarks and moderated discussion
8:15 PM – Q&A Session
Audience questions and interactive discussion
8:30 PM – Dessert Service
Dessert is served
9:00 PM – Closing Remarks & Adjournment
Program concludes
Culinary Delights/Dinner presented by Nar Restaurant and Catering
Scope of our Consular Sessions (see message below from Mujdat C. Altay, President RCNY)
It is my pleasure to share an exciting new initiative that will enrich our club’s international engagement and strengthen our ties with the global diplomatic community.
Beginning January 2026, the Rotary Club of New York will launch a special program entitled:
“The World Meets in New York: A Consular Speaker Series”
Hosted at The Turkish House
With the generous collaboration of the Turkish Consulate General in New York, this distinguished series will bring together Consuls General from ten countries serving in our city. Between January and May 2026, each session will feature a Consul General who will share insights on global affairs, bilateral relations, cultural diplomacy, and their nation’s engagement with the United States and the international community.
Why This Series Matters
New York is the world’s most international city home to one of the largest diplomatic communities on the planet. This program reflects our club’s historic mission of fostering peace, dialogue, and understanding across borders.
The series aims to:
- Strengthen meaningful dialogue between diplomats and civil society
- Offer our members unique first-hand perspectives on global priorities
- Highlight the international spirit of Rotary and our club’s longstanding leadership
- Celebrate the cultural and diplomatic diversity that defines New York City
All sessions will take place at The Turkish House as a Club dinner, which will start at 6:30 pm. Each session will run approximately 45–60 minutes, including time for Q&A.
We look forward to your active participation in this meaningful and globally minded initiative — one that embodies the spirit of Rotary and the international character of our great city.
