On February 5, Rector of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, George Sharvashidze awarded the University Medals to Professor Gocha Japaridze and Metropolitan Andria (Gvazava) of Gori and Ateni, and Ambassador of Poland to Georgia, Mariusz Maszkiewicz presented St. Grigol Peradze Awards (medals and diplomas) to them. The meeting of the Prize Awarding Council was held at Tyszkiewicz Palace of the University of Warsaw in December and the University of Warsaw presented St. Grigol Peradze Awards to Prof. Gocha Japaridze and Metropolitan Andria (Gvazava) of Gori and Ateni. The awards ceremony was held at TSU. The representatives of the Embassy of Poland to Tbilisi, students, professors and invited guests attended the event.
Ambassador of Poland to Georgia, Mariusz Maszkiewicz said that the awards ceremony is yet another demonstration that St. Grigol Peradze closely links Georgia and Poland with each other. “Before the World War II, St. Grigol Peradze’s activities in Poland were equal to a sacrifice for science. I am glad to have an opportunity as the Ambassador of Poland to Georgia to present St. Grigol Peradze Award to the persons who made a significant contribution to the Polish-Georgian relations: Metropolitan Andria (Gvazava) of Gori and Ateni and Professor Gocha Japaridze,” the Ambassador said.
“I am happy that the name of St. Grigol Peradze is voiced freely in our society. We have an opportunity to study his scientific and publicistic heritage; it will significantly deepen our knowledge about Georgian history and Georgian public figures,” Metropolitan Andria (Gvazava) said.
TSU Professor Gocha Japaridze thanked TSU and the University of Warsaw for the award. “I released an excellent work by Grigol Peradze about European pilgrims – about Georgian monks and Georgian monasteries in Palestine – in Georgian. With the help of Grigol Peradze, we have European sources and I have made a modest contribution to it. An important step has been taken towards studying the history of Georgian sanctities and Grigol Peradze has made a huge contribution to it,” Prof. Japaridze said.
TSU Professor Gocha Japaridze, historian, orientalist and diplomat was awarded for his special contribution to researching Georgia-related works and manuscripts of unknown Arabic historical, geographical, biographical and genealogical genres stored in the archives and depositories of Syria and Egypt; also, for his monograph – “The Georgian Monasteries and Monastic Community in the Holy Land in the 11th -18th Centuries (according to Arabic narratives and documentary sources), as well as for his special contribution to studying St. Grigol Peradze’s life and scientific heritage.
St. Grigol Peradze Award was presented to Metropolitan Andria (Gvazava) of Gori and Ateni for his special contribution to education and science in Georgia; restoration of historical gymnasium of St. George the Hagiorite; support to publishing the complete works of St. Grigol Peradze in Georgian at the University of Warsaw; also for his special contribution to establishing scientific relations between the University of Warsaw and Gori State Teaching University.
St. Grigol Peradze Award was introduced in 2010 upon the initiative of a scientific journal of Kartvelian studies Pro Georgia released by the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Warsaw University. It is awarded biennially. The award is presented for humanism and values promoted by laureates throughout their lives.
