Georgia’s National Defence Academy celebrates 22nd anniversary

Today is the 22^nd anniversary of the David Agamashenebeli National Defence Academy of Georgia, and to mark the occasion, a special celebration is being held at the Academy campus in Gori.

The country’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Minister of Defence Tinatin Khidasheli and Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze attended today’s festivities.

The event opened with a minute of silence to honour the memory of Georgian military servicemen who had died fighting for Georgia’s territorial integrity and others who had fallen in international missions. After this the military orchestra performed the state anthem.

Next President Margvelashvili addressed the audience and talked about the significance of having an educated army.

"Today we are celebrating a very important day on the road to prosperity and strengthening of our country. It has been 22 years since a very important institution was restored, which provides for the intellectual and physical strength of our armed forces,” said Margvelashvili, who is also the Commander of the GAF.

"You are worth carrying the heroic name of cadets. Thank you for honorably continuing the traditions that were created together with the first Georgian Republic. We should remember that the strength that we are creating is the guarantee of the stability of the region,” he said.

Georgia's President and Defence Minister at today's celebration marking the National Defence Academy's 22nd anniversary. Photo by Defence Ministry.

The solemn event continued with an awarding ceremony where the President Margvelashvili and Defence Ministry officials granted the National Defence Academy personnel with service medals.

Georgia’s recently-appointed Minister of Defence also spoke at the celebration and noted Georgia’s main dominance was in its elite army.

"For me as Defence Minister, military education is one of the top priorities. It is impossible for Georgia to beat the enemy in ways other than with elite troops and an educated generation who are ready to win difficult struggles using their professionalism and education,” said Khidasheli.

She also said the National Defence Academy was "outstanding and invaluable” for Georgia.

Also today a graduation ceremony was held for the Command and Staff School in the conference hall of the Academy, where 29 course graduates received diplomas and badges.

The anniversary celebrations ended with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the President and the National Defence Academy. From today, the President’s Administration and the higher military institution will carry out joint initiatives, including fellowship and short-term educational programs.

The National Defence Academy of Georgia is a descendant organization of the first Georgian ‘Junker School’, which was established in 1919 shortly after the country gained independence.