A ceremony of awarding the students winning the essay and drawing contests dedicated to Georgia’s Independence Day was held at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on May 24. Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili and State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili awarded diplomas and special prizes to the winners. Head of TSU Administration, Nunu Ovsyannikova, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Lia Gigauri, TSU professors, students and invited guests attended the event.
“I would like to thank everyone who was involved in this very important event and who thinks and dreams about strengthening our homeland. Each of you, regardless of your ethnic origin, strengthens my homeland and its diversity. You should not just know Georgian language and culture, but you should be co-creators of this country, you should be co-creators of this culture. Remember this! When you see the people who we award in these days, you will find citizens of different ethnic origins who have strengthened Georgia and proudly raised the Georgian flag. Therefore, you should not just know what Georgia is, but you as creators of this country should think about strengthening Georgia. I strongly believe that through such initiatives we will further promote your involvement in strengthening and enriching our wonderful homeland. It is extraordinary that we are born in the nation that constantly exists in diversity,” President Margvelashvili said.
State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Ketevan Tsikhelashvili congratulated the students on their victory and noted that it was planned to unveil the memorial to Peri-Khanum Sofieva, the first democratically elected Muslim woman in Georgia and the world, in Gardabani. “Today, I am proud that we have such motivated, talented young people regardless of their ethnic and religious origin, who are full-fledged patriots of this country and who will have all opportunities in future to be as much involved in all spheres of our public life as possible,” she noted.
“In a couple of days, we will be marking the 100th anniversary of Georgia’s independence and the University itself, which has turned 100, is actively involved in these processes. The engagement of our non-Georgian citizens of Azerbaijani and Armenian ethnicities in this process is especially important. This is done through a special program and just the distinguished students of this program were awarded today,” Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Teimuraz Papaskiri said.
“Various programs offered by the Tbilisi State University play a huge role in educating ethnic minority students, not only creating an educational environment, but also promoting their active engagement in public life. We have awarded students who speak Georgian fluently, who read Georgian prose and poetry and, most importantly, write in Georgian,” Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Lia Gigauri said.
The contest involved students of Georgian Language Training Program from across the country - Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Ilia State University, Georgian Technical University, Medical University, Police Academy and State Universities of Akhaltsikhe, Gori, Batumi, Kutaisi, Telavi and Sokhumi.
“I wrote a topic about Georgia – From Independence to Freedom. I am happy that I won. I will only welcome if similar contests are held frequently because they help us learn the Georgian language,” TSU student from 1+4 program, Margarita Nakhapetyan said.
TSU student, Farid Sofiev, who is a descendant of Peri-Khanum Sofieva, the first democratically elected Muslim woman in Georgia and the world, also attended the awards ceremony. He addressed the audience on the life and work of Peri-Khanum Sofieva.
“In 1918, 34-year-old Peri-Khanum Sofieva was elected through the proportional system in the legislature of the Georgian Democratic Republic. Georgian press was proudly reporting on it. Peri-Khanum was strictly punished for this freedom. We, her descendants, want to continue our grandmother’s tradition and take an active part in our country’s progress and development. On behalf of our large family, let me thank you for honoring Peri-Khanum’s merits,” Farid Sofiev noted.
The project aimed at increasing engagement of ethnic minority students in socio-political processes and social life of Georgia to understand the importance of independence, freedom and formation of value system.
