The 19th International Conference on American Studies was opened at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on May 17. The conference is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of American Studies in Georgia and the 100th anniversary of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.
Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze, representatives of the U.S. Embassy to Georgia, governmental and non-governmental sectors, professors, students and invited guests attended the conference opening.
“A very important direction at TSU, the American Studies, has turned 20. A very interesting conference was dedicated to this anniversary. 130 speakers presented papers on American political arrangement, foreign policy and relations. A lot of young scientists and students are participating in the conference,” he said.
Head of the TSU Institute of American Studies, Professor Vasil Kacharava said that the 20th anniversary of the establishment of American Studies in Georgia is a very important event for Georgian specialists of American Studies. “Our Institute is doing very important work not only for TSU, but for the entire country, nation. We provide the society with scientific, impartial information about our main ally and most powerful nation in the world,” Vasil Kacharava said.
Representatives of Georgian and foreign higher educational institutions, professors, students and researchers took part in the conference. The conference sections included: history and politics; U.S. – Georgian relations; foreign policy; indigenous Americans; literature and language; culture, social issues and law; Latin America; philosophy; media; medicine; economy and architecture.
Gela Charkviani, Georgian diplomat, writer and educator was also invited to the conference. He said that “the American Studies is a very important direction, because the United States is a great friend and strategic partner of Georgia. People identify happiness with freedom and the United States is just the freedom nation.”
The 19th International Conference on American Studies has been organized by the Institute of American Studies at TSU and the Georgian Association for American Studies.
