Celebrating the future of Georgian language
By Salome Modebadze
Tuesday, April 17
The program, initiated by the President last year, aims at enhancing the knowledge of Georgian language among the ethnic minorities living in Georgia.
Every Georgian citizen with a Bachelor Degree is eligible to participate in the program and teach Georgian language to ethnic minorities with the State fully covering their tuition for a further Master Degree.
Congratulating Azerbaijani and Armenian origin pupils living in Bolnisi, Kvemo-Kartli region with the success of the program, Saakashvili expressed his confidence that 100% of the youth of various ethnic groups would freely talk in Georgian by 2015.
He promised the Government would do everything to fulfill “their ambitious plans” and give each Georgian citizen an equal opportunity to achieve success in the country despite their ethnic or religious belongings.
“For the first time during this Millennia we are creating a modern statehood in the Caucasus,” Saakashvili said. He said Georgia belongs to everyone and anyone who wants to divide Georgia according to ethnicity and religion serves Georgia’s enemies.
Talking of Georgia as a multi-ethnical state, Saakashvili stressed Georgia’s power lies in the unity of all the ethnical and religious representatives. Welcoming the engagement of Armenian and Azerbaijani origin men in Georgia's reserve system, Saakashvili called them the real patriots who are ready to protect their country. Talking of Georgia as the example for success he highlighted the increasing representation of ethnical minorities at the Unified National Exams.
The President also emphasized the importance of English as a foreign language and explained why Russia is not a priority for Georgia any more. “Naturally it was caused by the imperialistic policy they [Russians] have been carrying out,” he said adding Russian is the language Georgians still use to communicate across the post-soviet space.