Georgia has gone through many hardships over the centuries, but the people who endured these trials were able to achieve what seemed impossible – they fought relentlessly for millennia against the greatest empires and much more numerous enemies, survived, and preserved the values and principles on which our nation was founded, said Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was elected as the President of Georgia by the electoral college, in his inaugural speech.
As he noted, Georgia is a historic nation. The Georgians created the country, and most importantly, the eternal idea known as the homeland, and it is this idea that the Georgian people constantly protect and defend.
He claimed that the constant struggle for peace forged the character of the people and convinced them of the vital importance of unity; unity that is based on mutual respect, love for family, and love for the homeland.
“It is well known that we are one of the distinguished and historic nations, whose formation began in ancient times – our people created the country, and most importantly, the eternal idea called the homeland. It is this idea that the Georgian nation constantly protects and defends. We have created a unique culture that, for centuries, has connected Georgians with invisible threads of common traditions and values across time and space.
The constant battle for peace and the centuries spent in defending against enemies have forged the character of our people and convinced them of the vital importance of unity; unity based on mutual respect, love for family, and love for the homeland; where a strong family means a strong Georgia, and a strong Georgia is equivalent to a strong family. The Georgian family is a place where children from an early age learn to respect their parents and grandparents, love for freedom, fight against injustice, respect for different opinions, and share the traditions preserved by our ancestors, which unite the Georgian people,” said Mikheil Kavelashvili.
He also noted that the Georgian language best reflects the character of the Georgian people and the emotions that are characteristic only to Georgians.
“The nature, history, and culture of the Georgian people are clearly reflected in our language, which holds an honorable place among the world’s oldest languages. Many Georgian words, phrases, and expressions reflect our past, which is full of stories of the selflessness and perseverance of the Georgian people. In the Georgian language, many masterpieces have been created that still inspire readers today. The Georgian language best shows the character of the Georgian person and the emotions that are characteristic only to us,” he stated.
“Our history clearly shows that, following numerous battles fought to protect our homeland and traditions, one of the main goals and values for a Georgian man was peace, a time when our nation should have had the opportunity to live in peace—to work, enrich our own culture, create masterpieces of art, and build architectural monuments” – he added and emphasized that the Georgian people have always known well that peace is the main guarantee of survival and development.
“You know, the Georgian table is not only an expression of our traditions and attitudes, but also an immaterial cultural heritage monument, which best shows our—Georgians’—attitude toward peace. Every traditional Georgian feast begins with a toast to the Lord and peace. Through this, a Georgian man praises God, expresses gratitude, and first and foremost prays for peace. This can be explained by our history, where peace has become a longed-for state for Georgians exhausted by wars.
The Georgian people have always understood well that peace is the main guarantee of survival and development! Achieving prosperity, continuous development, ensuring a secure and bright future, and striving for happiness are only possible under conditions where we approach existing challenges with caution, analyze the threats before us, and make decisions not based on emotions, but as a result of careful thought,” he concluded.
Image: 1TV
