PM says unveiling Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s bust in Beijing is opportunity to highlight country’s heritage
“Today we reaffirm our commitment to the idea of cultural exchange, sharing of knowledge and friendship between Georgia and China”, he said and added he was delighted that there was a “growing enthusiasm” among Georgians for Chinese culture and language, “It is this growing interest that creates a strong foundation for fostering meaningful people-to-people exchanges”. Photo via Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday “sincerely” thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping, his Government and the representatives of the Beijing University of Language and Culture for recognising 12th-century Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s achievements in world literature and said unveiling Rustaveli's bust at University was “a great opportunity to highlight Georgia’s heritage”.
I hope this statue will be an inspiration to the students and professors of this University and will encourage them to explore the vast world of Georgian literature, poetry and our unique language”, Garibashvili said in his speech at the unveiling event and noted he was “especially” pleased when the Chinese President “warmly mentioned” Georgia’s great poet in his speech during the meeting on Friday.
Photo via Government Administration
Let this statue stand strong as a symbol of friendship and mutual respect and be a motivation leading us to a brighter and more interrelated future. Thank you very much", he added.
The Head of the Government said the “prominent” Georgian poet had made a “great contribution” to world literature and his poem The Knight in the Panther’s Skin “is not only a masterpiece of Georgian literature, but also proof of friendship, wisdom, universality of human emotions and values. It is a work that transcends borders, languages and centuries, resonating all over the world, including here in China”.
Photo via Government Administration
The PM “sincerely thanked” the University management for their “invaluable” support and cooperation in the implementation of this important event and emphasised that today’s ceremony “symbolised” the readiness of both nations to accept each other's artistic and intellectual heritage, promote mutual understanding and respect and to emphasise the power of literature and the arts.
Today we reaffirm our commitment to the idea of cultural exchange, sharing of knowledge and friendship between Georgia and China”, he said and added he was delighted that there was a “growing enthusiasm” among Georgians for Chinese culture and language, “It is this growing interest that creates a strong foundation for fostering meaningful people-to-people exchanges”.
The vital role of the Confucius Institute, which has been “successfully operating” in Georgia for several years and “actively promoting” Chinese culture and language in the country was also highlighted by the PM.
He stressed that cooperation in higher education “has long been the main priority” of Georgia and China, including supporting the study of ancient languages in relevant educational institutions, promoting direct collaboration between professional, higher education and scientific research institutions and supporting student and professor exchange programs.
Photo via Government Administration
Garibashvili also emphasised “an important” document in the field of education - a memorandum of understanding on Chinese language education in primary and secondary schools of Georgia would be signed, during his visit to the country and noted he believed it would “greatly” contribute to deepening mutual understanding between the two nations.
Photo via Government Administration
He also expressed his gratitude to the Chinese President for the invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the 31st FISU World University Games, a multi-sport event hosted in Chengdu, as well as for the hospitality and warm welcome. “I am extremely happy that from now on the relations between our countries have risen to the level of a new strategic partnership”, Garibashvili noted.
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Vice Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Education WU Yan on Sunday said China “attributed a great importance” to the development of educational cooperation and exchange programmes with Georgia, at the unveiling ceremony of Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli’s bust at the Beijing University of Language and Culture.
Yuyan Xueyuan, the President of the Beijing Language and Culture University, on Sunday said the first visit of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his delegation to China after the establishment of the University would “surely go down in history” of the BLCU and would become an important stage in the promotion of China-Georgia friendship.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili highlighted the “very symbolic” gesture from Chinese authorities in their unveiling of a bust paying homage to the 12th century Georgian national poet Shota Rustaveli at the Beijing University of Language and Culture during his visit to the country last month.
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