The 3rd International Congress of Caucasiologists
‘Multiculturalism and Tolerance in the Caucasus’ was opened at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University on
October 23. Over 200 scientists from 16 countries are participating in the event. TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava, representatives of North and South Caucasian peoples, scholars-caucasiologists attended the congress opening.
TSU Rector Vladimer Papava said that “there are some events which are especially important and the 3rd International Congress of Caucasiologists is just such an event. This is a forum which enables scholars-caucasiologists from various countries to gather, share their research results and establish new relations. Our university will always facilitate similar events.”
“The Caucasus is a multi-cultural space and geographical area; it is a special region from geoeconomic, geocultural and geopolitical points of view. This region faces a number of problems because of certain historical processes. The aim of the congress is to settle these problems, because there is a threat in terms of multiculturalism, some cases of violation of tolerance in the Caucasus which are portrayed as pseudo ethnic conflicts. The key goal of the congress is to ascertain whether it is possible to resolve these problems peacefully and what particular measures should be undertaken by our peoples to maintain multiculturalism in the Caucasus,” TSU Professor Tsira Baramidze said.
The aim of the congress is to expand knowledge about the Caucasus as a particular region in terms of multiculturalism and to hold a scientific discussion; as well as to integrate regional scholars-caucasiologists; to identify scientific problems related to the issues of Caucasiology; to discuss scientific principles of the existing problems and to outline the ways of their resolution; to promote the overcoming of alienation among Caucasian peoples caused by certain reasons; to facilitate deepening of newly restored scientific relations, implementation of joint scientific projects, integration of international caucasiological centers and fields of humanities studying Caucasian issues, rapprochement of scientists, establishment of peace in the Caucasus. The event has been organized by the Institute of Caucasiology of the TSU Faculty of Humanities. The 3rd International Congress of Caucasiologists will end on October 26.
