Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University hosted a presentation of a literary collection RettuLIT2 (Literary Comeback) on February 8. The event finalized the 100th anniversary year and the University met its 101st anniversary with new goals and challenges. 17 Georgian writers belonging to various generations travelled around the world using the power of words and taking the fragments of atlas belonging to Sulkhan Saba Orbeliani as their personal items. Just the historical-geographical atlas with Sulkhan Saba Orbeliani postscripts became the source of inspiration for the writers. Among the authors are TSU alumni, also winners of the student literary competition Autumn Legend, jointly implemented previously by TSU and Geocell and now by TSU and Silknet.
“The main message of this project is that our university is not local and closed, but our borders are open. Like the Ambassador of Kartli travelled to Europe earlier, now our authors have to make literary trips. They followed us with great pleasure. Tbilisi State University will continue to implement similar literary projects and our authors will always stand beside us,” Nino Kalandia of the TSU Public Relations Department said.
The anniversary collection RettuLIT2 will enable the readers to travel together with the University and the authors. The unique atlas is stored at the TSU Museum. The atlas was released in Nuremberg in 1711 and it consists of 67 maps with different dates. Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani apparently worked a lot over these maps putting Georgian equivalents to various toponyms in red ink.
“The 18th century atlas with Sulkhan Saba Orbeliani’s postscripts in red ink became the source of inspiration for me, as I saw a certain risk in it. Just imagine, he makes a trip for his own country, his King. This mission proved unsuccessful, but it left a brilliant work “Trip to Europe.” I named my work “Wide Open Eyes.” Europe and trip to Europe means wide open eyes, when a person tries to get acquainted with something new, to gain new experience,” TSU Professor and one of the authors, Levan Gigineishvili said.
“It is a very innovative and interesting idea. Literature is renewable. Besides the fact that you should write from a new angle, a reader should also see your writing from another angle. It was a great honor for me to participate in this project. It will be a surprise for everyone – my colleagues and me to read the works of each other. I will read these works with great attention,” Guram Odisharia, writer and one of the authors, said.
The first book of RettuLIT, Literary Comeback, was released in 2013, on the 95th anniversary of Tbilisi State University. 15 writers from TSU belonging to various generations participated in the anniversary publication then. The first project united the memories of each of them about the University.
The book presentation ended with the concert by TSU student choir.
