On May 22, UGSPN held a public discussion titled: “The Unextinguished Spark: Georgia’s Long Road to Independence.”
The discussion addressed the significance of May 26 in the context of Georgia’s state independence, sovereignty, and democratic development. Participants reflected on what independence means not only historically, but also in today’s political and social reality, and what responsibilities it places on Georgians from generation to generation.
The discussion focused on the continuous chain of Georgian resistance, from the achievement of independence to its restoration and up to the present day. The speakers presented both historical and contemporary perspectives on the meaning of Georgia’s Independence Day and discussed the challenges that continue to shape the question of Georgia’s sovereignty and democratic future.
The discussion featured:
Beka Kobakhidze – Associate Professor and Co-Head of the Master’s Program in Modern Georgian History, Ilia State University;
Levan Avalishvili – Historian; Co-Founder and Program Director of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI);
Nino Chikovani – Professor, Institute of Cultural Studies, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University;
Zurab Japaridze – Politician, Lecturer at the University of Georgia.
The discussion was moderated by:
Konstantine Topuria – Rector of the University of Georgia.
We thank the speakers, the moderator, and the audience for their active engagement.