Parliament Speaker highlights role of diaspora during pandemic at award ceremony

Georgian diaspora communities took the “special responsibility” of caring for their compatriots during the Covid-19 pandemic, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Thursday at the ceremony for the Successful Emigrants Award.

Speaking at the event, Papuashvili stressed “special assistance” provided by the communities and credited it for saving “the lives of hundreds of our compatriots living abroad”.

The selfless support during the difficult time of the global pandemic is invaluable, and for that I want to thank everyone”, the head of the legislative body said.

As part of the prize-giving ceremony, members of the Georgian Parliament awarded medical professionals, people from other fields of work as well as individuals who donated for their efforts during the pandemic.

Members of the legislative and executive authorities, representatives of the Patriarchate and the business sector were among guests for the event, which has been hosted by the Diaspora House organisation for the fifth year. 

This year's event was dedicated to the people united in the Georgian Crisis Management Centres working abroad during the pandemic and assisting compatriots abroad during the pandemic.