Scientists from various foreign universities, representatives of the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation and academic circles gathered at the presentation of an academic journal The Kartvelologist held at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on July 24.
TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava said that “the university will always promote the development of Kartvelian studies.” “The research in Kartvelian studies is very important. It should be noted that this research has already moved to an international level. We publish the international academic journal [The Kartvelologist] and organize an international summer school. The university will always promote the development of this direction. I am sure that both the state and private sectors will show interest and promote the development of Kartvelian studies at an international level,” Rector Papava said.
TSU Professor, Elguja Khintibidze said that the journal has its readers and authors from all over the world. “This publication proved very successful; our key goal is to ensure that the journal continues its work with the same intensity. The International Summer School in Kartvelian Studies launched in 1995 is a very important project too,” he said.
“I took part in the summer school in 1998 and since then I have been cooperating with the Center for Kartvelian Studies. The project has been underway for over 20 years that proves its significance. I also cooperate with the editorial board of The Kartvelologist and I think that this project is not less important. The journal publishes important articles, thus making huge contribution to the development of Kartvelian studies,” Yasuhiro Kojima, Kartvelologist and Attaché at the Embassy of Japan to Georgia said.
Foreign scientists from various universities, who familiarized themselves with Georgian culture, history and literature just through The Kartvelologist, are working over the journal. Due to this work the sections in Kartvelian studies have been created at important international congresses in the United States and Europe.
The Kartvelologist is a bilingual (Georgian and English) peer-reviewed, academic journal, which was launched by Academician Elguja Khintibidze in 1993. During past three years the journal was financed by the Rustaveli National Science Foundation. Just with the fund’s financial support an online version of the journal was also created. Various editions of The Kartvelologist are available at famous American and European universities and libraries.
Along with the journal, the International Summer School in Kartvelian Studies was also created. During the twenty years of its existence the school offered intensive instruction to foreign-based Kartvelologists and Georgian friends from various countries, who continue their successful activities in various fields of Kartvelian studies or various organizations related to Georgia.
The event was organized by the TSU Faculty of Humanities, Center for Kartvelian Studies and Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.
