Speaker Papuashvili: Ekaterine Gabashvili’s name will forever hold a place of distinct honour in Georgian culture and education

Georgian Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili spoke at an event marking the 175th anniversary of the pioneering writer, educator, and public figure, Ekaterine Gabashvili.

In his address, Papuashvili highlighted Gabashvili’s monumental role as one of the country’s pioneering advocates for women’s dignity and education, noting that her legacy transcends her own era to serve as a spiritual and moral guide for future generations.

“Ekaterine Gabashvili never wavered on what mattered most: her mission. Her mission was humanity, education, and care. She gave a voice to those whose pain often went unheard,” Papuashvili stated, pointing to her early life, opening schools for peasant children to weaponise knowledge for public service rather than personal success.

The Parliament Speaker drew particular attention to Gabashvili’s nuanced approach to equality, describing it as a “feminism of responsibility, education, and opportunity” that sought to improve society and make traditions more just and humane rather than discarding them. He also noted that her profound example of civic responsibility inspired her descendants, including the heroic Makashvili siblings who fought in the trenches of Kojori to defend the country.

“Times changed, society changed, and political realities shifted, but her conviction remained steadfast—that education, kindness, empathy, and dignity form the very foundations of societal development. Ekaterine Gabashvili’s name will forever hold a place of distinct honour in the history of Georgian culture, Georgian education, and Georgian public thought,” Shalva Papuashvili concluded.