105 years ago, university education began in Georgia with 369 students and 89 trainees at the Faculty of Philosophy. “We have lived to this day to open the Georgian University... the longing for light, the thirst for knowledge and the love for truth have gathered so many people here today,” said the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Kyrion II, on the day of the opening of the university, February 8, 1918.
 

On the occasion of the 105th anniversary of Tbilisi State University, an anniversary week was organized. Within the framework of the week, various educational events were held with the participation of university students and professors of all faculties. Among them there were scientific conferences, presentations of articles and books published in high-ranking journals, panel discussions, presentation of research projects, showing of documentary films, awarding of prizes to the authors of the best reports at the faculty conferences.
 

“I congratulate everyone on the 105th anniversary of Tbilisi State University. The establishment of the University is the most important event in the history of Georgia, because the University became not only the center of education, but also, in general, the main hub of the development of science in Georgia of the 20th century. But the most important thing is that during the Soviet regime, the University preserved the main national idea on which the new state was founded in the 90s of the last century. This is the primary mission of the university,” said TSU Rector, Academician Jaba Samushia at the solemn event.
 

The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, and Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, the locum tenens of the Patriarch of Georgia, congratulated the University and all of Georgia on the 105th anniversary of TSU. At the anniversary event, TSU Rector Jaba Samushia and Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkeli awarded 14 professors with Gold Medals of the University for fruitful scientific and pedagogical activities. “This award is a great honor for me, and at the same time, a great responsibility. The entire faculty shares this award with me. These are the people who have done their utmost to make our faculty an unconditional leader in the field of psychological education in Georgia,” said Professor Ia Kutaladze of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of TSU.
 

On February 8, in connection with the anniversary, five auditoriums named after the founding professors of the faculty were opened at the TSU Faculty of Law. Two conference halls named after Tinatin Tsereteli, the first female lawyer in Georgia, the founder of the Georgian School of Criminal Law, and Professor Luarsab Andronikashvili, the founder of the TSU Faculty of Law, were also opened.
 

Within the framework of the anniversary, several exhibitions were organized at the university. University books, paintings by professors and students of the TSU Department of Fine Arts, as well as historical photos, posters, memorabilia of the founders, and manuscripts were exhibited. A complete retrospective of the events that accompanied the first period of the establishment of Tbilisi State University was reconstructed by means of photographs.
 

On the anniversary day, the new sports spaces of Tbilisi State University were opened in a solemn atmosphere. Along with the presentation of the basketball and volleyball halls, a chess tournament was held in which TSU students, professors and administrative staff took part.
 

In connection with the 105th anniversary of the University, the Georgian Post issued commemorative stamps of the first graduates, the presentation of which took place in a solemn atmosphere. The stamps depict Ivane Javakhishvili with the first graduates, as well as Simon Janashia, Shalva Amiranashvili, Arnold Chikobava, Tamar Lomouri and Varlam Topuria.
 

The anniversary week ended with a solemn concert with the participation of the vocal, folklore and choreographic ensembles of Tbilisi State University, the Student Capella and famous singers who graduated from the University.