40th International Byron Conference at TSU

The 40th international conference ‘Byron Original and Translated’ was opened at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on June 23. Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili, Minister of Culture and Monument Protection Guram Odisharia, British Ambassador to Georgia, Alexandra Hall Hall, TSU students and academic staff as well as 100 delegates from 20 countries with Byron’s direct descendants among them attended the event.

TSU Professor Innes Merabishvili said that “it was decided 40 years ago to establish a tradition of holding an annual international scientific conference and preparations for holding this forum in Georgia lasted for three years. About 100 delegates arrived from 20 countries and what is most important, Lord Byron’s descendants are among the guests.”

“For any Georgian, Byron is a native phenomenon, because not only his poetry, but also his ideas, work, struggle for freedom and firmness are extremely native for us. Noteworthy that Ilia Chavchavadze compared Byron with fast-running and turbulent River Tergi in his Letters of the Traveler. Byron’s ideas helped many nations pave their ways ahead. However, we, the Georgian lawmakers, have an ambition – Lord Byron also belongs to us because he was an experienced lawmaker of his time. We know about his speeches in the House of Lords, when he was protecting Catholic rights or when he was demanding election rights for everyone. Although his ideas were not shared then, today his native land is built just on these ideas. We have an ambition for being Europeans because we understood and still understand Byron quite well,” Georgian Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili said.

“Not only Byron is a great poet for Georgian people, but owing his lifestyle, he has become a part of Georgian people’s life. I can only welcome the fact that Byron’s creative works are studied in Georgia so comprehensively. We are also proud that an English-language book ‘Meeting with Lord Byron’ by Innes Merabishvili was published with the support of the Ministry of Culture,” Minister of Culture and Monument Protection, Guram Odisharia said.

“It is a great honor for me to attend the conference opening ceremony. This is the first case that the Byron Conference is being held in Georgia and I think that it is largely due to the Byron Society and Professor Innes Merabishvili, who dedicated her career to translating and studying Lord Byron’s works. Byron’s works and life are very close to Georgia and I think that it is natural that the Byron Conference is being held in Georgia,” British Ambassador to Georgia, Alexandra Hall Hall said.

“I think, it is very important that this international conference is being held in Georgia. During 40 years we annually visit various countries. As far as I know, it was planned long ago to hold this conference in Tbilisi and I am glad that this idea was implemented,” the English poet’s descendant, Lord Byron said.

The conference participants will deliver 43 reports during 6 days.

A presentation of the book “Innes Merabishvili, Meeting with Lord Byron” by TSU Professor, Director of the Byron School of Tbilisi, Innes Merabishvili will be held on the sideline of the conference.

The Annual International Byron Conference has been held since 1974 in any country related to Byron, where a comprehensive research of Byron’s works is underway. Presently, there are over 40 Byron Societies throughout the world, including in Georgia. In 1809-1911 Lord Byron travelled in the East. He failed to arrive in Georgia and he speaks about his intention in his satirical poem ‘English Bards and Scotch Reviewers’ (1809), where he mentions Georgia as “beauty’s native clime.” In his “Don Juan”, Lord Byron describes Georgian girls and their beauty with relish.

Despite our special interest toward Byron’s phenomenon, the poet’s attitude toward Georgia remained unknown. The Georgian Byron Society’s involvement in the international research helped to reveal Byron’s attitude toward Georgia, as it enabled Georgian scientists to make an important discovery: previously unknown episode of Byron’s life was revealed, when he met with a Georgian slave woman, which maybe became the basis for one of his famous characters. It is reflected in the book “Encounter with Lord Byron” by Innes Merabishvili published with support of the Ministry of Culture.