“Exactly 47 years ago, thousands of people gathered on Rustaveli Avenue and defended the Georgian language at the risk of their own lives,” writes the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, on social media.

“The Georgian language is one of the main pillars of our nation’s uniqueness, identity, and statehood, which our ancestors protected and cherished with dedication over many centuries.

The events of April 14, 1978, are a clear example of this. Exactly 47 years ago, thousands of people gathered on Rustaveli Avenue and defended the Georgian language at the risk of their own lives – this was a crucial historical event when young people stood against the decision of the Soviet Union leadership and prevented the abolition of the state language status of Georgian.

This victory of the Georgian people, standing guard over national interests, not only preserved the constitutional status of the Georgian language but also gave great impetus to the rise of the national movement. We express our gratitude to all participants of this unprecedented civic heroism.

Today, it is each of our responsibility to cherish our native language preserved through our compatriots’ dedication.

We must unite to safeguard our ancestors’ legacy and, in doing so, strengthen our statehood,” writes Mikheil Kavelashvili.