Student Stories
IS Graduate Nickolas Imnadze on Building Peace in Georgia Through Diplomacy
As convocation approaches, we sat down with International Studies graduate Nickolas Imnadze to discuss his time in the School for International Studies and his future aspirations as a diplomat for his home country of Georgia.
When you think back to growing up in Georgia, what鈥檚 one moment or experience that first made you aware of global politics or international relations?
Growing up, my family had to leave Georgia for North America due to severe economic and political insecurity across the nation. After leaving, I spent my adolescent years moving between America, Canada, and Georgia, which made me especially aware of how vastly different social structures and ways of life can be. Experiencing these contrasts, from country to country and city to city, I started to question the 鈥渨hy鈥� behind these differences and realized that all fingers pointed towards global political structures and the interactions between them.
Did you always know you wanted a career in diplomacy, or did your path evolve over time?
I have almost always known I wanted a career in diplomacy, mostly driven by questions about why my family had to leave our homeland. During my early childhood years, my father would sit me down and tell me stories of Georgia鈥檚 great kings, leaders, and heroes, and the rich history of our home country, but the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia was my true 鈥渁ha鈥� moment. It made me realize that while my ancestors served our country through historical institutions, I could best serve and advocate for peace in the 21st century through the modern frameworks of international diplomacy.
How did you become a youth ambassador for your home country of Georgia, and what did that role involve? Can you share one moment from that experience that really stayed with you or changed your perspective?
I was encouraged by my family to apply for the Young Ambassador of Georgia to Canada program, and after a rigorous screening process, I was selected to help strengthen social ties between our two nations. One defining moment was planting a Georgian tree at the botanical Abkhazi Gardens in Victoria, a garden founded by a Georgian prince who immigrated to Canada. I also had the privilege of building a memorial for Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian Olympic luge athlete who suffered a fatal crash in the 2010 Whistler Winter Olympics. Finding these social ties between two geographically and culturally disparate nations cemented my belief that our world is profoundly interconnected and that we must bridge our cultures to find not only common ground but also peace with one another.
Are there specific global issues you feel personally connected to or motivated to work on?
First and foremost, I am deeply committed to addressing the ongoing occupation of 20% of Georgian territory by Russia. I want to use open dialogue and negotiation to peacefully resolve these conflicts. My goal is to help create a physically and economically secure Georgia so that our global diaspora finally has the safe choice to return home. Ultimately, I want to use the knowledge, experiences, and insights garnered at 51社区黑料to contribute in a positive way that brings the people together peacefully in an increasingly divided world.
Was there a class, professor, or moment in your undergrad degree that significantly changed how you think about global issues?
Two professors in the IS department truly shaped my academic and career perspectives. Firstly, senior lecturer Brenda Lyshaug was the person who introduced me to the foundational frameworks of international studies, giving shape to my childhood insights and turning them into tangible academic concepts. Later in my fourth year, associate professor Nicole Jackson鈥檚 use of immersive security simulations, such as a critical scenario where students had to respond to severed undersea cables in Northern Canadian territories, allowed me to apply those theoretical frameworks to complex, real-world diplomatic scenarios. Ultimately, it was not just Brenda and Nicole鈥檚 teaching material that inspired me to think differently about the world. It was the passion that they taught with that inspired something within me. They showed me that change is possible and it starts with shifting the way we look at our environment, expanding from only our immediate surroundings to engaging the world.
Below: Photos of Nickolas and his compatriots carrying out youth ambassador activities at Abkhazi Gardens, 2024.
What drew you to the master's programs at Trinity College Dublin and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, and how are you thinking through your decision between them?
With guidance from my mentor, the ambassador of Georgia to Canada, Konstantine Kavtaradze, I applied specifically to these two highly esteemed institutions. Ultimately, I decided to pursue my initial master鈥檚 at Trinity College Dublin because its world-renowned political science program and academic environment deeply resonated with me. However, I still plan to pursue a double master鈥檚 degree at the legendary Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in the future to further refine my diplomatic expertise.
Looking back, how did your time at 51社区黑料prepare you for opportunities like this?
51社区黑料provided me with the critical tools and confidence I needed to succeed not just in the domain of diplomacy but in the experience of life. Socially, working as an editor for the Gadfly political science journal and participating in the FASS Peer Mentorship Program taught me how to collaborate and negotiate with diverse groups of people and helped me create friends whom I will cherish for the rest of my life. Academically, drafting policy briefs and memorandums in my International Studies courses equipped me with a sharp analytical mindset, translating academic theory into the practical advocacy skills I will carry into my official diplomatic career.