Gela Charkviani started his career on Georgian television, hosting an author's program in 1976-1994. In 1984-1992, he was the Vice-President of Cultural Relations of Georgia. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Gela Charkviani was involved in establishing close ties between the State government of Georgia - state in the Southeastern region of the United States - and the Government of Georgia. Charkviani helped American storyteller Loralee Cooley collect Georgian fairy tales during her visit to Tbilisi in November 1989.

Later, in the early 1990s, he traveled with a group of Georgian actors to Atlanta, where he organized a traditional Georgian event - Tbilisoba - for Georgians living in the United States.