The Minister of State Tea Akhvlediani attended the opening of the International Animation Film Festival “Nikozi” in the village of Nikozi of Gori municipality, Shida Kartli region.
The Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality shared the glimpses of the event held on its official Facebook Page on September 1, 2025, Monday. The information related to the event was also posted along with its glimpses.
Tea Akhvlediani addressed the community gathered at the official opening of the twelfth festival with a welcome speech. The Minister of State focused attention on the importance of holding an international festival in the village of Nikoz and talked about the role of art and similar cultural events in peacebuilding and restoring trust between war-torn communities.
Tea Akhvlediani, as a partner of the festival and head of the supporting organization, thanked Metropolitan Bishop Isaiah of Nikoz and Tskhinvali and Nikoz Art School for organizing the festival.
“The Nikoz International Festival, on the hardest footprint of the occupation, with its history of founding and development, can be said to be a symbol of faith in the future.” Through the power of art and love, the spirit of the festival was able to turn the ruins of the war into a blade of cultural development, around which the young and international artists living in the immediate vicinity of the occupation line were united. It is this kind of spirit that refers to the goals of the state policy of reconciliation and inclusion, our peace initiatives – to overcome the occupation, to unite our people in peace; to give Georgian, Abkhazian and Ossian youth together a decent and better future, so that together we can overcome the pain, to protect our history and culture and of course We must build a common future together in peaceful, unified and strong Georgia,” – said the Minister of State Tea Akhvlediani.
The opening event of the festival was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, international missions, and local authorities. Guests came from several countries around the world to the Nikozi Festival, which has been held since 2011.
Within the framework of the events, which will be held on September 1-7, films by both Georgian and foreign directors, exhibitions, classical music evenings, and folklore concerts are planned.
