Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University hosted the 1st International Linguistic-Anthropological Congress of Caucasologists, which gathered up to 200 scientists from different countries of the world.
 

The event was organized by the Institute of Caucasology of the TSU Faculty of Humanities and Arnold Chikobava Institute of Linguistics.
 

In his welcome speech, Acting Rector of TSU, Academician Jaba Samushia spoke about the common history and common values ​​of the Caucasian nations. He also recollected important facts from the history of the Caucasian nations. “We, the Caucasian nations, have a lot to discuss together,” Samushia said, noting that the branch of Caucasology, which was launched in 1924, turned into the Caucasology research center and was established as the department in 1933.
 

Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Professor Nana Gaprindashvili spoke about the importance of the unity of the Caucasian peoples and the history of the development of Caucasian studies as a field in Georgia. “Tbilisi State University is one of the most important centers of Caucasian studies. Caucasian studies, teaching of Caucasian studies in our country is as old as the university itself, which means that it is a highly traditional field that is developing and will continue to develop in the future. In his poem “Ghost”, Ilia Chavchavadze talked about the unity of the Caucasian peoples, their common interests. It was Ilia Chavchavadze’s position, and it is our position that the Caucasian peoples should take a common path, should have common interests and common values,” the Dean noted.
 

The 1st International Linguistic-Anthropological Congress of Caucasologists was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the outstanding classic, writer Mikhail Lokhvitsky.
 

“Since its foundation, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University has been a center of not only Georgian and Kartvelian studies, but also Caucasian studies. The languages, history, peoples of the Caucasus are as important for Georgia as the Georgians themselves, the history of Georgians and Georgia. We continue this tradition. The department, which was founded in 1933 by Academician Arnold Chikobava, was later merged with the Department of History of the Caucasian Peoples, and today it is the only structure in our university, which is unique throughout the region and around the world, as we study the languages ​​and histories of all the peoples of the Caucasus,” TSU Professor Merab Chukhua noted. According to him, the congress is dedicated to the Chechen writer Mikhail Lokhvitsky, who was not born in Tbilisi, but was established as a writer in Tbilisi, lived in Georgia and is buried in Georgia. “His centenary is a symbol of Caucasian unity, both from scientific and cultural points of view. It is important that the participation of students in the Congress is very high. Every student can be involved as a speaker,” Merab Chukhua added.
 

The Congress worked in the following areas: linguistics; interdisciplinary linguistic studies; literary studies; folkloristics; history; ethnology; anthropology; archaeology; source criticism; culturology; student studies. The event lasted for three days.