Georgia’s capital Tbilisi hosts International Day of Peace

Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on Wednesday marked International Day of Peace, a United Nations-designated annual celebration, with an event entitled Youth for a Better Future and organised by the country’s State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality.

Minister Tea Akhvlediani emphasised the importance of strengthening peace for the “reconciliation and unification of our people” and for “building a united and strong state” where the “individual, their dignity, well-being, rights and security represent primary values”.

Akhvlediani congratulated the winners of this year's Peace Award and expressed hope such initiatives would “encourage young people on both sides of the dividing lines” in Georgia’s Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) to “engage more in the peace-building process” that she said was “taking place in strong spirit of
Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian reconciliation, mutual understanding and restoration of trust”.

The Ministry said the prizes were awarded to winners in recognition of their “outstanding contributions to peacebuilding”, and noted they would also participate in the 12th World Forum of Democracy, scheduled between November 6-8 in Strasbourg, with support from the Council of Europe.

Established in 2021, the award is handed annually to individuals or groups, including those from occupied territories, who contribute significantly to peacebuilding efforts and foster reconciliation and trust.

The Tbilisi event was attended by representatives from the Georgian Parliament, state agencies, local authorities, diplomatic missions, international organisations, civil society, academic circles, and youth.

Those involved were addressed by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Gia Volski, the Chair of the Temporary Parliamentary Commission on Restoration of Territorial Integrity and De-occupation.

Khatuna Totladze, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Didier Trebucq, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the country, also delivered notes, with the attendees also addressed with a video message from Bjørn Berge, the Deputy Secretary General of Council of Europe.