By Roy Lie Atjam
On 20th of June 2023 on behalf of the Embassy of Georgia, H.E. Ambassador David Solomonia and Mrs Olena Terentieva hosted the reception on the occasion of 105th anniversary of Georgia’s State Independence.
In his opening speech, Ambassador welcomed the guests among which were representatives of Dutch public service, civil society organizations, diplomatic corps and the Georgian diaspora. He thanked everyone involved in the preparations of the event and acknowledged the dedications by the Honorary Consuls of Georgia in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Georgia’s National Day is, by all means, a joyous occasion. 26th of May marks the day when the people of Georgia restored its statehood in the form of the first democratic republic. With their unique culture and language and the centuries of statecraft traditions Georgians once again asserted itself in the mosaic of interstate realm.
According to Ambassador Solomonia: “Independence Day holds significant place in our hearts. It symbolizes the triumph of liberty and the pursuit of a better future. It represents the collective aspirations of our society to break free from the irons of oppression and determine our own destiny.
Today, we pay tribute to the visionaries who paved the way for an Independent Georgia and to all those who continue to preserve and uphold those values.”
Several months ago, on 14th of April, Georgia celebrated another significant historical event –
“Georgian Language Day” in cooperation with Leiden University. It marked the events that occurred in 1978 when the Soviet Authorities unsuccessfully attempted to remove the official status of Georgian throughout the country. “Georgia cherishes the bravery and efforts of those people who stood up against the oppressive regime and protected their language – a core of our cultural identity.” – stressed the Ambassador.
In his speech, Ambassador emphasized the importance of current affairs as well. He stressed that as the world is facing great crises, including the worst possible one – the terrible war, Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine, which had started in Georgia back in 2008: “No nation can feel safe until Russia is held accountable for violating the fundamental principles agreed by all”.
At this point, Georgian-Dutch cooperation, friendship and long-standing ties are of great value for both countries. While the Dutch Embassy is representing the Netherlands in Tbilisi, the Embassy of Georgia maintains close cooperation in bilateral and multilateral level, and as the Ambassador put it “all time high like-mindedness on all major topics, including in The Hague based institutions, be it ICC, ICJ or OPCW”. Not least to mention that according to first quarter statistics of the year of 2023, the Netherlands is the biggest investor in Georgia.
The reception was adorned by stunning performances of Amersfoort based Choir “SAKARTVELO” who are specialized in famous Georgian polyphony – another cultural asset which has international recognition and is inscribed in the UNESCO list for intangible cultural heritage.
The celebratory evening concluded with a degustation of Georgian cuisine and beverages. Most notably, the notorious Georgian wine boasts its oldest wine-making traditions and increasing popularity in Dutch markets.
Congratulations Georgia!
