PM Kvirikashvili addresses Georgian diaspora in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi hosted the forum Strong Diaspora for United Georgia to mark the Diaspora Day today. The event was attended by the representatives of Georgian diaspora from different countries, the descendants of the founders of the First Democratic Republic and the representatives of Georgian government.
In his address to the participants of the event, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili recalled the words of EU Commissioner on Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos.
When Georgia reached visa liberalization with the European Union and when our first visit was made initially to the cultural capital of Europe – Athens and then to the political capital – Brussels together with Georgian students and youth, Embassy of Georgia held a reception that evening in Brussels and I remember a great friend of Georgia, European Commissioner Avramopoulos, saying the following: "Georgia would have been among the founding fathers of the European Union by all means, had soviet occupation not occurred,’’ underlined Kvirikashvili.
Prime Minister Kvirikashvili shakes hands with the son of the Head of the Government of Georgia's First Democratic Republic (1918-1921) Rejeb Zhordania at the forum. Photo: PM's press office.
''Event celebrated on 26th May once again presented the importance of European, democratic traditions and history of Georgia to the entire world. We need to talk more about it. We need to talk more than we did previously about the titanic work performed during 1918-1921.''
''If you wish, it is an acknowledgement from my side that greater significance should be given to this very important 3 year span of our history. I want once again to congratulate you with this most prominent date – 100th anniversary - and wish Georgia to become a fully-fledged member of the European family as dreamt by the founding fathers of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia on 26th May 1918,'' pointed out the Prime Minister.
Tbilisi hosted the forum "The strong Diaspora for united Georgia" to mark the Diaspora Day. The event was attended by the representatives of Georgian Diaspora from different countries and representatives of Georgian government to discuss the possibilities to increase engagement of Georgians living abroad in the country's policy making process.
A festive historical reenactment of the proclamation of Georgia’s independence exactly 100 years ago crowned the May 26 Independence Day celebrations in capital Tbilisi today.
The Presidents of Armenia, Lithuania, Finland, Poland and Slovakia have delivered speeches in central Tbilisi, together with Georgian top officials, dedicated to the 100th anniversary since the creation of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia.
Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his speech at Freedom Square in Tbilisi today during a ceremony dedicated to the 100th anniversary celebration of the first democratic republic of Georgia. Standing in front of the Georgian soldiers he thanked Georgia for its ‘invaluable role’ in EU peace-keeping operations, serving noble causes.
“The Georgian diaspora needs political representation. I call on the entire Georgian society to unite around the idea, so that our [Georgian] diaspora can gain its own voice and right to represent its own interests in parliament”, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili said in a video address at the Diaspora Forum dedicated to Diaspora Day.