A solemn event marking the 99th foundation anniversary of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) was opened with an exhibition “The First” (Pirveli) on February 8. Among the exhibits were materials depicting construction of the first Georgian Gymnasium for the Nobility, preparations for opening the first national university; first visiting European professors at Tbilisi State University; first students sent to Europe for studies, etc.
Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Minister of Education and Science Aleksandre Jejelava, Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Tariel Khechikashvili, Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council Giorgi Alibegashvili, members of the legislative and executive authorities, foreign diplomats accredited in Georgia, professors, students and invited guests attended the event.
Rector Giorgi Sharvashidze said: “Professors, students, graduates of TSU attended the solemn evening. Several novelties were announced, among them establishment of the University Development Fund aimed to assist students, on the one hand, and to implement infrastructure projects and create better learning and research environment, on the other. We were informed today that next year the university will mark its 100th anniversary under the aegis of UNESCO.”
“Since the day of its foundation, the university has been the place of Georgian spirituality, public life, development of our statehood. The idea of Georgia’s independence was kept alive inside these walls even during the Soviet period. We have taken important steps towards the European family. European culture, European civilization has been created around the university life in Europe. Thus, the European path of our state passes through the university,” President Margvelashvili said and delivered the Constitution of Georgia to the TSU Library as a gift.
Minister of Education and Science, Aleksandre Jejelava congratulated the university on its anniversary and said that a new dormitory located at Lisi Lake and designed to accommodate 300 students will be handed over to the university in the near future.
Tbilisi Mayor, Prof. Davit Narmania said that “the university is a special school of human relations, it is a temple of knowledge, which has no analogs. It has always been and will remain the first from many points of view.” On behalf of the Tbilisi City Hall, Narmania handed over a business laboratory Fab Lab to the university as a gift.
Speaking on behalf of the Tbilisi City Council, Chairman Giorgi Alibegashvili said that next year the Tbilisi City Council will hand over a monument of Davit Agmashenebeli as a gift to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tbilisi State University. The monument will be created by a famous sculptor, Merab Merabishvili.
TBC Bank will make the first contribution to the University Development Fund aimed to support scientific and infrastructure development and to fund student studies, Badri Japaridze, co-founder of TBC Bank, said.
Portrait of Mikheil Zandukeli, one of the first lecturers of TSU, painted by Ketevan Magalashvili was handed over to the University Museum as a gift. Tengiz Siradze, head of the TSU Printing House, handed over a book from Ilia Chavchavadze’s personal library to the TSU Library as a gift.
Successful students of TSU were awarded special gifts.
The first-ever national university in the Caucasus was opened on January 26, 1918, the day of commemoration of King David the Builder (new style February 8). Upon the nomination of Ivane Javakhishvili, the Council of Professors elected Petre Melikishvili as the first Rector of the University. Ivane Javakhishvili took charge of the faculty of philosophy.
