Honorary Georgian Consul Thelmo Cunanan Jr was a special guest of the City of Telavi during its commemoration of the Georgian heroes in the Abkhazian conflict. Consul Cunanan joined Telavi Mayor Platon Kalmakhelidze, Vice Mayor Tengiz Mtvarelishvili, Levan Akhvldiani of the Philippines – Georgia Business and Friendship Association, and other city and civil society leaders in the repainting of the cemetery dedicated to the citizens of Telavi who fought and died in the Abkhazia conflict.

Consul Cunanan has frequently talked publicly about the plight of Georgian refugees from the conflict. In many public events and the media, he has worked hard to raise awareness of the issue, with the hope of peaceful and final resolution to the conflict.

The War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993 was fought between Georgian government forces for the most part, and Abkhaz separatist forces, Russian armed forces and North Caucasian militants. Approximately 13,000 to 20,000 ethnic Georgians were killed in the fighting, with another 250,000 Georgians became internally displaced or refugees and 2,000 missing.