The Gesundheit! Institute is thrilled to announce the 1st Clown Tour in Georgia with Patch Adams!
We’ve added an optional Armenia Tour May 1-May 7th for a limited number of participants, details below!
Registration for 2024 is Closed.
A unique event joined by Patch Adams and Maria Eliseeva from Maria’s Children International.
Join us in beautiful Tbilisi, Georgia for the very first time with the Gesundheit Institute. We will plan for daily clown visits to a variety of institutions. These include hospice centers, shelters, hospital, orphanages, private homes and workshops. Patch Adams will be part of the group for the whole week joined by Maria Eliseeva from Maria’s Children International. Read our Blog Post about WHY we are traveling to Georgia!
Clowning will open doors unlike any other travel experience. Gesundheit! Global Outreach has clowned across the world with different groups. Our experience has taught us that clowning is an incredible tool for connecting with people and that anyone is able to do it. The only criteria for participation in the Georgia Tour is that you come as a clown with a joyful spirit of compassion, flexibility and interest.
We will spend 7 days in Georgia CLOWNING every day. We are sure to make many new Georgian friends through our shared journey of service, clowning and travel. Our group will transform into a community … a clown family connected through our work, play and laughter.
Every day on the tour is unique, though a typical day may look like this:
• Breakfast at the hotel
• Morning clown visit
• Lunch
• Afternoon clown visit
• Dinner and sometimes an evening program
Arrive in Georgia Sunday, April 21:
Welcome Dinner
Monday, April 22:
Breakfast- Clown masterclass- Lunch- Visit Hospital or orphanage- Dinner
Tuesday, April 23:
Breakfast- Clown visit and painting- Lunch- Visit art museum- Dinner
Wednesday, April 24:
Breakfast- Clown visit- Lunch- Visit shelter- Charity dinner for Gesundheit!
Thursday, April 25:
Breakfast- Visit hospice- Lunch- Hospital- Independent dinner [which will be at your option]
Friday, April 26:
Breakfast- Visit Ukrainian center clowning- Lunch there and workshop at the center- Dinner at friends
Saturday, April 27:
Breakfast- Sharing meeting at the hotel- Lunch- Free time- Gala dinner fundraiser for Gesundheit! Clowns in clown attire
Sunday, April 28:
Breakfast- Clowns flying home-Transfer will be provide to the airport…Hugs and Kisses!!
[We suggest you arrange not to leave early morning]
Maria Eliseeva — the founder and director of Maria’s Children. Maria says, “I love life and believe in humanity and peace. I love music, poetry and art, windsurfing and mountain skiing, love to be surrounded by friends and children. I believe in charity and changing the world to be a better place. I am very lucky and happy to be not only a mom, but also a friend and a sister for my 5 daughters. Thirty-three years ago Patch became my friend, my role model, and spiritual soul mate. He has been supporting my family and my projects for more than a third of a century with such devotion that it made an immense difference and influenced many lives in Russia in a big way. I feel privileged to be able to support him these days in his efforts to make people of the world happier and kinder. Read a short story of the history of “Maria’s Children”
Patch Adams — entered medical school in 1967 to use medicine as a vehicle for social change; promotes and practices living a life of public joy as a revolutionary act; fount of ideas for avoiding burn-out in long-term social justice and health. Enthusiator.
Anya, Anchu, Anchurrita — I am a human who loves to learn, play and collaborate, to communicate, create and connect. I was born into a strange big family full of art, clowns and a lot of children. I have clowned with Patch in Russia, Peru and Armenia and since the year 2014 I have been organising the Russia clown trip on the Russian side. I volunteer a lot with the organisations of my mama Maria, and I love the work that we do. I am a dreamer and I like to make art and other things with my hands. And lately I love playing ukulele.
Ginevra Sanguigno — clown and actress. Since 1981 she has been using theater as a vehicle for social change. Ginevra is an instructor, enthusiator, and the founder of Clown One Italia Npo , in 2000. She has been organizing humanitarian clown missions worldwide since 2003 .
Sharon “Shar-Shar” Stein — started volunteering in 1996, has traveled to 54 countries…so far. She met Patch 21 years ago, and put her first red nose on and has laughed ever since!
Dear Clowns,
Since the war in Arsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] ended with Azerbaijan taking the land and more than a hundred thousand of Armenians loosing their homes, I have dreamed of clowns coming to spread some joy and heal the community with art and playfulness.
Marleen and I will be organizing the trip for a small group of ten clowns including us. We are planning to clown in orphanages, hospitals and also do workshops and murals with refugees from Karabakh. -From Anya
Cost: $800
The tour package includes: Transportation from Tbilisi, Georgia to Yerevan, Armenia, accommodation; meals; transportation in the city and transfer to the airport.
Flights: Book your flight back home any time on May 7 to depart from Armenia, Zvartnots International Airport.
Armenia Clown Tour Coordinators
Anya: anya.segalovich@gmail.
Marleen: marleenvanos@hotmail.
Registration for 2024 is now Closed.
Cost for the Georgia trip only, April 21-28: Early bird discount (till March 15) $1400 USD. After that date $1500 USD. Single room supplement in the Georgia trip is $200.
Cost for the Optional Armenia trip May 1-7: an additional $800 USD beyond the Georgia cost.
The tour package in Georgia includes: Accommodation, meals except for one dinner, transfer to and from the airport, all clowning events, and transportation within the country. This fee does not include your transportation to Georgia. Space on this trip is limited.
Start here | Fill out the Electronic Registration & Payment Form >
Please do not fill out the form unless you are prepared to send the deposit ($600) or the full amount.
Flights: Please arrive at Tbilisi International Airport by the evening of April 21 – Book your flight back home any time on April 28.
Passports: No visa is required, check this link for any exception related to your country. Passports can be expedited by your local post office. Please bring two color photocopies of your passport with you. Please check the expiration date of your document, passport must be valid for at least six months after your date of travel.
Vaccines: COVID-19: Vaccination is not required.
If you have questions that are not answered by the program’s description please contact:
Georgia Clown Tour Coordinators
Anya: anya.segalovich@gmail.com
Sharon: sharonstein22@gmail.com
Ginevra: ginevrasan@gmail.com
Thank you and we hope you join us!
Under 18? You MUST have your legal guardian fill out this form:
Further playful readings on clowning:
Funny Times is a monthly cartoon and humor newspaper for a world gone weird.
Tickle your funny bone and support a great cause at the same time!
Patch Adams MD & Gesundheit Institute, P.O. Box 307, Urbana, IL 61803
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