Georgia celebrates Mother’s Day today

Mothers all over Georgia are being celebrated and honoured today by their loved ones as the country celebrates Mother’s Day.

March 3 is a public holiday in Georgia that is dedicated to mothers and pregnant women. The day differs slightly from International Women’s Day where all women are honoured.

Mother’s Day is celebrated on different days around the globe – in most countries Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May.

Georgia was the second country to celebrate Mother’s Day, which is celebrated annually on March 3. However, Norway was the first country to celebrate Mother’s Day each year – this year the event was marked on February 8.

Meanwhile today in Georgia, all mothers and pregnant women are being honoured by their families. Specifically today, a vast array of flowers and congratulatory cards are gifted from children to their mothers. Children often write letters to their mothers to tell them how important they are.

Celebrating Mother’s Day in Georgia was established following the suggestion of the country’s first President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and in 1991 the decision to celebrate the occasion was approved by the Supreme Council of Georgia.

The purpose of Mother's Day is to maintain the tradition of respect for women, to value their role in the family and appreciate their enduring efforts in the upbringing of children.

Throughout Georgia today a number of public activities are being held.

In addition, to mark Mother’s Day in Georgia the country’s President, Giorgi Margvelashvili, pardoned eight female inmates.

According to this decision, four female inmates have been fully released from prison, while the sentences of the other four inmates were halved.

"Those females pardoned by the President in connection with Mother's Day were serving their sentences basically for robbery, attempting to smuggle drugs while crossing the border and other types of drug crimes,” said head of the Presidential Pardon Commission Zviad Koridze today.

"The Commission also worked in accordance with the norm, where very high-term sentences were imposed in their case. The Commission reviewed the applications of 572 convicts in total,” he said.

Meanwhile, a handful of countries celebrate Mother’s Day on March 8 however the majority will mark the event this year on May 10 – the second Sunday in May.