See Georgia’s independence chronicles in the Parliamentary Library’s new space

A brand-new Independence Hall has opened at the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia with exhibits of Georgia’s contemporary history.

In the newly set-up space, launched amid celebrations of Georgia’s Independence Day on Saturday, visual exhibits narrate the story of the country’s struggle for sovereignty, its public and cultural life and recent decades.

Giorgi Kekelidze, general director of the venue, opened the hall in an occasion while flanked by speakers of parliaments of Georgia and Moldova, Irakli Kobakhidze and Andrian Candu.

The exposition features photographs and other exhibits illustrating various periods in the contemporary history. Photo: National Parliamentary Library of Georgia.

The unveiling came within a program of events celebrating the May 26 independence date as well as the 100th anniversary of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia. Candu was one of the foreign dignitaries invited to the festivities on Saturday.

Kekelidze revealed to his social media followers the exposition in the space followed history starting in the 19th century — with Georgia ruled by the Imperial Russia — and evolving through the short-lived but crucial independence period between 1918-1921.

A display of the early 20th century public and cultural life in Georgia. Photo: National Parliamentary Library of Georgia.

The timeline then goes through the second national independence movement of the 20th century Georgia during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The final part of the display involves the current reality of about a fifth of the state being occupied by Russian forces since the 2008 war between the two countries.

Director of the library announced the exhibition — which he called "one of the [major] projects of the century” — would work as a permanent display hosting the public.