Georgian Defense Minister Levan Izoria delivered a lecture “Georgia Facing Modern Defense and Security Challenges” at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on May 4.
Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze, students and invited guests attended the event. Izoria spoke about Georgia Defense Readiness Program aimed to strengthen the countrys territorial defense capabilities. He also touched upon a new reserve concept.
Rector Sharvashidze said that “establishing direct communication with students is a correct approach. The Minister unveiled a number of novelties, including the concept on total defense that proved interesting for our students. The meeting was held in a form of a discussion that was followed by a question and answer session,” Rector Sharvashidze said.
Minister Izoria said that similar meetings with students will be held in future as well. “We had an opportunity to speak with TSU students about the reforms ongoing at the Defense Ministry, as well as the prospects of NATO integration. We provided detailed information about how compatible our reforms are with NATO’s strategic tasks. Interesting questions were asked about conscription. Students showed great interest in our new total defense concept, where special importance is attached to the educational component. We are just intensifying our meetings with students in this context. The first meeting was held at the Tbilisi State University. This meeting served as an impetus to continue discussions at other universities,” Levan Izoria said.
Following the lecture, TSU students underwent registration for participation in a hiking planned in Kojori and Tabakhmela on May 10. The hiking will be organized by the Defense Ministry, during which students of the National Defense Academy, Cadets Military Lyceum and TSU will visit the trenches located in the area.
“The meeting was very interesting because it is important when top officials provide information about the state. We familiarized ourselves with the current situation at the Defense Ministry, our country’s priorities and future plans, successful implementation of which will further increase our country’s defense capabilities. Student involvement in these measures has always been and will remain important,” TSU student, Shota Kezherashvili said.
