The Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) hosted a European Book Exhibition in connection with signing the Association Agreement with EU. TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava, German Ambassador to Georgia, Ortwin Hennig, Greek Ambassador to Georgia, Eleftherios Proios, Ukrainian Ambassador to Georgia, Vasyl Tsybenko, foreign diplomats from other European countries, representatives of Georgian executive authorities, TSU academic staff and students attended the event.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava said that the European Book Exhibition “is dedicated to a historic day for Georgia – signing of the Association Agreement with EU. Our university attaches special attention to a book; therefore, TSU met Georgia’s membership in the European family with the book exhibition. Today we handed over German books removed from Germany during the World War II to the German Ambassador to Georgia. These books, which were kept at the TSU Library, have a legal owner and they should be returned to their legal owner. During his visit to Germany two weeks ago, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili handed over two 18-century books to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and this process will further continue.”
“A book makes a huge contribution to establishing mutual respect and friendly relations between various countries. Symbolic transfer of books is an expression of trust and friendship, while their return to their legal owners sends out a political signal. The books removed from Germany by Soviet troops and kept at the TSU Library prove our European history – these books were printed in Leipzig and Bremen in the 18th century. History warns us to get necessary examples from it,” German Ambassador to Georgia, Ortwin Hennig said.
“The TSU Library asked European diplomats accredited in Georgia to name literary monuments, which are most important for their countries. It appeared that most of these books have been kept at our library. It also turned out that out of 27 books, Georgian translations of 26 books were available at the TSU Library. The European Book Exhibition was symbolically coincided with the historic day of signing the Association Agreement with EU,” Director of the TSU Library, Zurab Gaiparashvili said.
The exposition will display the most important European literary monuments along with Georgian translations. The books displayed will once again demonstrate the Georgian art of translation and a tradition of European-Georgian literary relationships.
The TSU Rector handed over 21 books of German origin to the German Ambassador. The TSU Library received these books, which were removed from Germany during the WWII, in 1948. The German side cleaned and restored them in 2008-2009.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava presented a book Kobzar by Taras Shevchenko published by TSU publishing house to Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Tsybenko.
The European Book Exhibition will last at TSU during a week.
