Georgian president marks 100th anniversary of recognition of Democratic Republic of Georgia by France in Paris
At the ceremony Salome Zurabishvili delivered her speech in which she said that despite being on the geographical border of Europe, Georgia has always felt European and that 'this is a necessary diplomatic choice with no alternative'. Photo: President's press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has visited France to take part in events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the recognition of the Democratic Republic of Georgia by France in Paris.
Zurabishvili participated in a ceremony dedicated to the memory of Georgian Vice-Colonel Dimitri Amilakhvari on September 26 and posthumously awarded him the Order of National Hero. She presented the state award to the descendants of Amilakhvari.
Photo: Presiden't press office.
Zurabishvili wrote on her Twitter account that 100 years ago France became 'a land of refuge' for Georgians who fled the Red Army and continued to fight for a free Georgia. Amilakhvari, who was among them, became 'a hero of the French Resistance'.
100 years ago, France became a land of refuge for Georgians who fled the Red Army and continued to fight for a free Georgia
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) September 26, 2021
Among them was Dimitri Amilakhvari, who would become a hero of the French Resistance
It’s an honor to posthumously award him the Order of National Hero pic.twitter.com/JNKQB7MVa0
In addition, the Georgian diaspora gifted the bust of Amilakhvari to the French museums of the Foreign Legion (13th Brigade) and the Military Academy of Saint-Cyr, while a third bust was sent to Georgia.
At the ceremony Zurabishvili delivered her speech in which she said that despite being on the geographical border of Europe, Georgia has always felt European and that 'this is a necessary diplomatic choice with no alternative'.
Independence, Democracy, Europe: such aspirations existed a century ago. They have not changed and today, as never before, the vast majority of the Georgian people are following the path of these aspirations... Georgia is Europe and my personal history is also an example of that. This is the essence of my mandate: to ensure the continuity of the process of moving Georgia closer to Europe”, Zurabishvili said.
Photo: President's press office.
Zurabishvili stated that over the past 100 years France has made many contributions to maintain the independence of Georgia and independence of its nation.
France was the first country to recognise Georgia ... because France did not include occupied Georgia in the 1922 Soviet Recognition Act. The country has received the government of Georgia in exile. Paris became the capital of the young Georgian democracy in exile...", she said.
Zurabishvili also highlighted the importance of returning the national treasure from France to Georgia by the order issued by Charles de Gaulle in 1944. Zurabishvili said that without de Gaulle and a Georgian historian, archaeologist and public benefactor Ekvtime Takaishvili this treasure could not find its place in the Georgian National Museum where it is still kept today.
With this gesture, France returned to us the most important part of the history and culture of Georgia", said Zurabishvili.
Zurabishvili has also posthumously awarded with the Order of Excellence Konstantin Andronikov (Andronikashvili), a diplomat, theologian and an interpreter who worked with some of France’s greatest political leaders, and Father Elie Melia, who led the Georgian Parish of Saint Nino in Paris for nearly 40 years.
A century after the Georgian political emigration, we look back at the many great figures who never forgot the idea of a free Georgia and became bridges between our and the French nation
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) September 27, 2021
In Paris, it’s with pride that I award two of them posthumously with the Order of Excellence pic.twitter.com/81icxvio3p
At the end of the day Zurabishvili also took part in the ceremony of lighting eternal fire near the Triumphal Arch in honour of the memory of the soldiers fallen for France.
Photo: President's press office.