Round Table Conference Dedicated to the 100 Year Anniversary of Occupation
„Georgia and Russia: What Has Changed?“ – a Round Table Conference dedicated to the ending of 5 week war and 100th Anniversary of Occupation was held by Ilia Chavchavadze Center for European Studies and Civic Education, on March 17, at the Museum of Soviet Occupation.
Zaza Bibilashvili, the founder of the Ilia Chavchavadze Center, started the Conference with the topic “Politics and Memory”. Nino Kalandadze, the director of the Center and Dr. Thomas Schrapel, the Head of Konrad-Adenauer Foundation South Caucasus, also addressed the audience. Buba Kudava and Beka Kobakhidze, historians, Rusiko Kobakhidze and Davit Khvadagiani, researchers at the Soviet Past Research Laboratory, Gia Jafaridze, a former ambassador of Georgia in Cyprus and Portugal, Niko Tsetskhladze, an artist, Giorgi Mshvenieradze, a constitutionalist, Arina Tavkarashvili, a civil activist and lecturer at Saba University, as well as journalists, academic scholars and representatives of international organizations were participating in the Conference.
The participants discussed the topics such as civil memory and politics, first Georgian constitution, temporary end of Georgian westernism resulting from occupation, expectations of artistic élite and the reality in the aftermath the occupation, living in the Soviet Union, foreign policy challenges of two republics, ongoing occupation, etc. The participants of the Conference held discussions and conversations with the attendants after their presentations.
The Conference was held in compliance with COVID-19 regulations, thus, the number of attendants was strictly limited. Full recording of the Conference will be spread by the social media and uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Center.
The Conference was held with the generous support of Konrad-Adenauer Foundation South Caucasus.
