President: Seven eternal values – God, homeland, human, motherland, language, faith and family – shape our statehood

Georgia is marking the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion, a historic spiritual choice that has defined the Georgian nation’s cultural identity, statehood and historical path for 17 centuries, President Mikheil Kavelashvili said.

He made the remarks while addressing the opening ceremony of the international symposium “God, Homeland, Human.”

Kavelashvili said that for centuries, Georgia had served not only as a geographical and civilizational bridge between East and West, but also as a unique space of cultural and religious diversity and harmonious coexistence.

“Our history is a chronicle of constant struggle against invaders and a fight for freedom. During the most difficult periods along this challenging path, the Mother Church served as a source of support for the Georgian nation. It brought people together, protected our homeland, native language, national consciousness and historical memory,” Kavelashvili said.

He noted that Christianity had provided spiritual strength and intellectual support, helping Georgia preserve its national identity through severe hardships and teaching generations that human dignity, love of homeland, freedom and responsibility are inseparable values.

“At a time when the modern world faces a crisis of values and geopolitical upheaval, it is our duty to ask a fundamental question: What foundations should the Georgian state, society and the individual themselves rest upon?” he said.

According to Kavelashvili, seven eternal values now form a comprehensive framework for Georgian statehood: God, homeland, human, native land, language, faith and family.

“This unique seven-part formula, rooted in the 19th-century national triad of Saint Ilia the Righteous and the spiritual legacy of His Holiness Ilia II, transcends the boundaries of time and space. It organically unites the centuries-old tradition of Georgian national thought, including the highest achievements of the Georgian mind and spirit embodied in the immortal legacies of Shota Rustaveli and Vazha-Pshavela,” he said.

Kavelashvili described these seven principles as the foundation of personal identity, adding that in an era of globalization and artificial intelligence, when human identity faces the risk of being devalued, these enduring values serve as a fundamental safeguard.

“Georgian youth raised in accordance with these ideals are the guarantee that our society will be more secure, progressive, morally strong and empathetic,” he said.

The President stressed that the choice made by Georgia’s ancestors 1,700 years ago had shaped the nation’s enduring existence.

“Against the backdrop of today’s multifaceted challenges, the modern Georgian state and its strategic development must be built on these seven eternal pillars,” Kavelashvili said.

He added that it was the shared responsibility of the nation to preserve this centuries-old spiritual heritage and national identity and pass them on intact to future generations.

“This heritage, forged through the storms of centuries, is the foremost guarantee of a strong, united and sovereign Georgia.

“May God bless Georgia,” Kavelashvili said.