The issues related to the history of Georgian-Ossetian relations, art, literary studies, and linguistics were discussed at the conference opened at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) on October 13. Deputy Rector of TSU, Nino Gvenetadze, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Nunu Mitskevich, Deputy State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Lia Gigauri, Georgian and foreign representatives of scientific and educational institutions, students attended the event.
 

Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Nunu Mitskevich said that the Ministry actively supports a peaceful policy in Georgian-Ossetian relations. “As part of this policy, we are implementing various projects to support the access to educational resources and higher education. Moreover, we have various grant competitions offered by Rustaveli National Science Foundation in scientific and research fields, supporting scientific and research projects for people living in the border areas and across the dividing line,” Nunu Mitskevich said.  
 

Deputy State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, Lia Gigauri spoke about the prospects of Georgian-Ossetian relations. “The conference dedicated to Georgian-Ossetian relations is very important in terms of reconciliation and engagement, as scientific relations are one of the best ways to restore trust and achieve reconciliation between the societies artificially divided by war. Every year, we recollect here how peaceful coexistence of Georgians and Ossetians looked like, what connects us historically, what perspectives we have in common. At the same time, all this is the best message for young people, who should know that we still can be together; we can work together in the direction of both science and education of young people,” Gigauri noted.
 

“Today we are holding a forum of scientists with the participation of representatives of higher educational institutions of our region, scientific institutions of different countries, young people who are united by one desire to have a peaceful, solid and, at the same time, friendly relations between scientists of any country. These relations are a guarantee that in the future even more international projects will be implemented with the involvement of our university,” Naira Bepieva, director of the TSU Scientific Research Center of Georgian-Ossetian Relations, said.
 

The 8th International Conference “Prospects for the Development of Georgian-Ossetian Relations” is dedicated to Temirbolat Mamsurov, Ossetian muhajir poet.
 

The conference is organized by Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; the Scientific Research Center of Georgian-Ossetian Relations; Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia; Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation; State Language Department; Giorgi Akhvlediani Society for the History of Linguistics. The conference will last for two days.