Georgia’s first University celebrates 100th anniversary under auspices of UNESCO
By Mariam Chanishvili
Monday, November 6
The 100th Anniversary of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) will be held under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2018.
The celebrations will be held throughout the country and on the international level.
The event will be planned and organized by a special governmental commission chaired by Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, as Sputnik Georgia reported.
The decision to include TSU’s 100th Anniversary on the list of important events was made during the39thGeneral Conference of UNESCO in Paris, France.
It is worth mentioning that the nomination was supported by the National Commissions for UNESCO of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
Rector of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University GiorgiSharvashidzetold TV Company Rustavi 2 that this is another confirmation of the fact that TSU is not only of local importance, but has a region-wide significance as well.
Another celebration connected to Georgia, which has been slated for 2019 and nominated during the General Conference session is Marjory Wardrop’s 150th anniversary. Marjory Scott Wardrop was an English scholar and translator of Georgian literature. She was a sister of a British diplomat and scholar, Sir Oliver Wardrop, who made a great contribution to the promotion of Georgian culture and literature.
The General Conference consists of representatives of UNESCO Member States. It meets every two years, and is attended by Member States and Associate Members, together with observers for non-Member States, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Each country has one vote, irrespective of its size or the extent of its contribution to the budget.
The General Conference determines the policies and main lines of the Organization’s work. Its duty is to set the programs and the budget of UNESCO.The working languages of the General Conference are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Since 1956 UNESCO has taken part in the commemorations of historic events and in the anniversaries of eminent personalities celebrated by Member States in order to give them worldwide significance. Celebrating and drawing attention to personalities, works or events that have contributed to the mutual enrichment of cultures helps to promote international understanding, peace and closer relations among peoples.
TSU was established in Georgia’s capital Tbilision 8 February, 1918. The main founder of the university was a Georgian historian and academician, Ivane Javakhishvili. Excluding academies and theological seminaries which have intermittently functioned in Georgia for centuries, TSU is the oldest university in Georgia and the entire Caucasus region.
Over 18,000 students are enrolled and a total number of faculty and staff (collaborators) is 5,000.
The university has five branches in the regions of Georgia, six faculties, 60 scientific-research laboratories and centers.
