During an official visit to Italy, Giorgi Jincharadze, the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, met with MEP Leoluka Orlando.
The meeting was about the inclusion of adolescents living in the occupied territory in the Georgia-Italy exchange program. The project will be similar to the model that existed in 1997-2007, in which hundreds of young refugee people could travel to Italy and participate in various cultural and educational programs.
At today’s meeting, the prospects for the restoration of the mentioned project were discussed. During the meeting, the parties also talked about protecting Georgian-Abkhazian cultural heritage and deepening cultural relations, which will be implemented through projects in different formats.
Giorgi Jincharadze noted, “This project is particularly important to me, because I have been a participant myself and I know from personal experience how important such initiatives are in the development of adolescents.”
Restoration of this project is the most important message for young people living in occupied territories. It is the priority of the Abkhazian government to offer them more opportunities for development and European prospects, – said Giorgi Jincharadze.
According to the MEP, the meeting with Giorgi Jincharadze reminded him of his experience years ago.
“It is an honor for me to meet with the Chairman of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Giorgi Jincharadze, who reminds me of the experience of years ago when Sicilian families hosted hundreds of children displaced from Abkhazia.” George was one of these kids. “I am happy to think that this gesture of hospitality has become an opportunity for many young people,” said Leoluka Orlando.
The Chairman of the Abkhazian Government, as a token of gratitude, awarded the European Parliament with a seal of thanks for his support over the years, and Leoluka Orlando gave Giorgi Jincharadze an autobiographical book dedicated to the European Parliament’s visit to Georgia and the friendly relations of Georgia-Italy.
The meeting was held by Giorgi Dzadzamia, Minister of Education and Culture of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, Minister of Justice and Civil Integration of the Autonomic Republic of Abkhasia Aliona Chhotua, Member of the Supreme Council of Abkhazian Elguja Gvazava, Ambassador of Emergency and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to Italy Tamar Liluashvili, Consul General of Georgia in Barishi Irakli Koyava, Honorary Consul of Georgia Leonarda Amela in Ilia region, Abkhazia’s information-analytical Center Director Eka Tsivtsivadze and representative of the Chairman of the Temporary Commission on Restoration of Territorial Integrity of the Georgian Parliament and Deoccupation Issues Ketevan Korkashvili were present.
