2nd International Scientific Conference “Georgia and Christian Civilization”
The Saint Grigol Peradze 2nd International Scientific Conference “Georgia and Christian Civilization” at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) was dedicated to the 900th anniversary of the Battle of Didgori.
Rector of TSU, George Sharvashidze, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Nunu Mitskevich, Director General of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, Jaba Samushia, researchers and scientists from 16 countries attended the event.
The Saint Grigol Peradze 2nd International Scientific Conference is the result of collaboration between the Tbilisi State University and the University of Warsaw (Poland). A permanent scientific forum related to Grigol Peradze’s name is traditionally held at the University of Warsaw biennially, on the day of his death.
“The today’s international conference was large-scale in many respects. It was organized by our partner organizations, including the Universities of Warsaw, Miami, Sapienza. I am glad that young researchers were also involved. The conference was held online, through observance of all rules at Tbilisi State University. Let me again congratulate the participants of the conference and wish them successful two-day work,” Rector Sharvashidze said.
Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Nunu Mitskevich focused on the fact that along with Georgian scientists, foreign researchers will also participate in the conference as envisaged by a new program “Horizon Europe.”
“The Battle of Didgori is very important in terms of reevaluating our history and reminding the public where we are coming from and where our roots are,” the Deputy Minister said.
“After 900 years, Georgian nation is marking its victory in the Battle of Didgori. Georgian historians and society marked this victory by means of this scientific conference. A lot of interesting reports will be presented during these two days,” Jaba Samushia noted.
Giorgi Cheishvili, director of TSU Institute of History and Ethnology, said that a number of discussions will be held during the two-day conference. It is worth noting that Dagestani scientists and researchers also showed hugeinterest towards the conference.
“In recent years, many scientists are trying to convince our North Caucasian brothers that the relations between North Caucasus and Georgia were episodic and weak. However, the reports presented by our Dagestani colleagues prove opposite. Their reports are about the spread of Christianity and creation of Dagestani script on the basis of Georgian alphabet. Much has been written about the Battle of Didgori and the epoch of David the Builder, but much still needs to be done to reevaluate the developments in a global-historical context. Our conference is just one of the steps in this direction,”Giorgi Cheishvili said.
Representatives of Georgian state universities, National Research Center for Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation, National Center of Manuscripts, Miami University (USA), Tokyo Metropolitan University(Japan), Baku State University (Azerbaijan), Dagestan State University (Russia), University of Vienna (Austria), Universities of Lille and Granada (France), other leading European universities and research centers will present their papers.
The conference has been organized by TSU Institute of History of Ethnology, Center for East European Studies of the University of Warsaw, Sapienza University of Rome, Georgian National Academy of Science and Society of Saint Archimandrite Grigol Peradze.
