This is our history - I choose equality

Niko Marr

This rubric this time will tell you about a linguist of Scottish descent who greatly contributed to the study of Georgian language – his name is Niko Marr. Did you know that Niko Marr grew up in Guria? His mother, Aghati Maghularia, was a Gurian woman, and his father was a Scottish agronomist,...

Ietim Gurji

Ietim Gurji (Dabghishvili) was born in Tbilisi in 1875, in a family of a poor knacker (currier). His ancestors were Georgians who were captured by the Turks and converted to Islam. Last name Gurji (Georgian) was coined at that time. The national poet’s father Ibrahim settled in Tbilisi and...

Fari-Khanum Sofieva

"A hundred years ago, when men in the village of Karajala in Georgia were drinking hot tea by the fire and women were busy with household chores, Fari-Khanum Sofieva left her mark in the world history and became the first Muslim woman to win an election. According to various sources,...

Sergo Parajanov

"I am Armenian, born in Georgia and I was kept in Russian prison for Ukrainian nationalism“ – said the 20th century Georgian film director of Armenian origin, Sergo Parajanov. The film director who was accepted, loved and valued in and outside of Georgia. For centuries Georgia was based on the...

Mako Saparova

Today I want to tell you a story about Mako Saparova, a woman who was so courageous and zealous that she managed to choose a profession that was considered unacceptable for women at that time and became one of the leading figures of the Georgian theatre company in the 1870s. „Among...

Lesya Ukrainka

Better known under her literary pseudonym, Lesya Ukrainka was one was one of Ukraine’s foremost writers, whose work and physical existence was equally nourished by two countries – Ukraine and Georgia. When she was very young, Lesya Ukrainka wrote for her younger sibling „The ancient history of...

Gayane Khachaturian

“Silence is emptiness and I love emptiness that’s been filled. I think that every person has his own box of emptiness. He fills the box on purpose, to make his life easier“ – Gayane Khachaturian is a Tbilisi-born artist, whose ancestors where ancient Armenians – Zoks. A 12-year old Gayane, who...

Tigran Petrosian

The world history of chess entails only a dozen individuals because grandmasters refuse to give up the title of world champion for years. Iron Tigran born and raised in Tbilisi held the status of the world champion in 1963-1966. Famous chess player Tigran Petrosian was born in Tbilisi in 1929,...

Mushthaid Garden

Legend has it that Mushthaid Garden was built by an Iranian nobleman in the 19th century in Tbilisi. Mushthaid was a religious leader of Iranian Shias in Azerbaijan and a political figure. The name of the garden comes from his religious title – Mujthahid. According to encyclopaedia, Mushthaid...

Harutyun Sayatyan

As early as in the 18th century, during the reign of Erekle II in Georgia, a man of Armenian origin, who loved playing the lute and Kamancheh, reciting poems and had an incredible creative talent, appeared on the streets of Tiflis. His full name was Harutyun Sayatyan but they called him...

Kists

The most important thing that made Georgia stand out throughout the centuries was its diversity, acceptance and hospitality. And how did Georgians and Kists coexist for centuries? As history tells us, social and cultural relations between Georgians and Kists, their brotherhood, marriage,...

Georgian Muslims

Society is not very familiar with Georgian Muslims, some of whom live in Ajara. Islam has the largest number of followers after Christianity in Georgia. Islamization of Ajara Region is related to occupation of Georgian provinces by the Ottoman Empire. Centuries later, local population maintained...

Samtskhe-Javakheti

Armenians make up a majority of the population in Samtskhe-Javakheti region (about 50-52%). Armenian culture, traditions and customs are closely linked to Christianity. Generally, Armenians are one of the first Christian nations in the world. Conversion of Armenians to Christianity is related...