Panel discussion “De-Centering the Story, Re-Writing History”
2026-06-12 19:30 - 20:30 (Asia/Dubai)
On 12 June, at 19:30, a panel discussion titled “De-Centering the Story, Re-Writing History” will be held in Room B201 at Ilia State University.

What does de-colonization and re-centering mean for Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space? In recent years, there is increasing recognition that Russia’s colonial history and its continuing imperial practices must be addressed. A prominent international panel of historians tries to find out how this political and cultural imperialism should be understood and what histories it has erased or pushed to the margins. What happens when the cultures of Eastern Europe are no longer treated as secondary to those of Russia or Western Europe but are instead recognized as essential parts of Europe’s story?
Moderator
Zaal Andronikashvili (literary scholar and author, Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research and Ilia State University; DE/GE)
Speakers
Karl Schlögel (historian, writer and Professor Emeritus of East European History at the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt, Oder; DE);
Peter Englund (historian and writer, member of the Swedish Academy; SE);
Nutsa Batiashvili (Professor of Anthropology and Dean of the Graduate School at the Free University of Tbilisi; GE)
See the full programme at the link.
More details about the debates: Tbilisi 2026 – Debates On Europe
Working languages: Georgian, English
Time and date: 12 June, 19:30-20:30
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall B201, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue
Admission is free.

Keynote Speech by Karl Schlögel "The re-conceptualization of European history and the present moment"
2026-06-12 18:30 - 20:30
On 12 June, at 19:30, in Hall B201 at Ilia State University German historian and recent recipient of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, Karl Schlögel will deliver a speech, on how the fall of the Soviet empire but also the Russian wars on Ukraine and Georgia call for a radical re-evaluation and re-conceptualization of European history and the present moment. Not mainly as a reckoning, but to come closer to the truth.
Ilia State University confers an Honorary Doctorate on Karl Schlögel.
Introduction by Nino Doborjginidze, Rector of Ilia State University.
See the full programme at the link.
More details about the debates: Tbilisi 2026 – Debates On Europe
Working languages: Georgian, English
Time and date: 12 June, 18:30
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall B201, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue
Admission is free.

Panel discussion “Thinking, Speaking and Writing Under Pressure – Academic Freedom”
2026-06-12 15:30 - 17:00
On 12 June, at 19:30, a panel discussion on free speech titled “Thinking, Speaking and Writing Under Pressure – Academic Freedom” will be held in Room B201 at Ilia State University.
Across Europe fundamental democratic freedoms are being undermined. Academic freedom is no exception. Be it economic or political pressure, structural reforms or the primacy of “useable knowledge” over “critical thinking”, schools and universities are under attack. Georgian and international scholars will identify the current threats and their historical background. Are there strategies to defend the academic and educational system?
Moderator: Volker Weichsel (Editor at Osteuropa; DE)
Speakers:
Giga Zedania (Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies, Ilia State University, GE);
Dubravka Stojanović (Professor of History, University of Belgrade, RS);
Zsófia Bán (writer and Associate Professor of Visual Culture at Moholy Nagy University of Art and Design, HU)
See the full programme at the link.
More details about the debates: Tbilisi 2026 – Debates On Europe
Working languages: Georgian, English
Time and date: 12 June, 15.30-17:00
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall B201, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue
Admission is free.

The Tbilisi Debate on Europe
2026-06-12 15:30 - 17:00
On 12-13 June, the Tbilisi Debate on Europe gathers writers, scholars and journalists to confront urgent questions of freedom, history and democracy. Looking from Georgia, what is at stake for Europe today?
Today, there is hardly any other city in Europe where European values – including democracy, the rule of law and personal freedoms – are more fiercely attacked and at the same time vigorously defended than in Tbilisi. Since 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Georgia has experienced a constant struggle between authoritarian and democratic forces, where the name and idea of Europe is incessantly invoked and contested.
In this situation, Debates on Europe find it of utmost importance to give a strong sign of solidarity with the individuals and institutions standing up for basic democratic and human rights in Georgia – writers, publishers, journalists, academics, civil society representatives.
From 12 to 13 June, Tbilisi becomes a vantage point for rethinking Europe. Across debates, lectures and encounters, leading thinkers explore history, freedom and the future of the continent – from its often overlooked margins.
In Tbilisi, international professionals will engage in talks with Georgian colleagues. The main aim of the Tbilisi Debate on Europe is to discuss the ideas and values that have forged Europe through a long history and to understand what part Georgia has played – and continues to play – in the European past, present and future.

12 June | Public Discussions at Ilia State University
Welcome Addresses by:

Nino Doborjginidze, Rector, Ilia State University; GE
Zane Rungule, Chargée d’Affaires, EU Delegation to Georgia
Carl Henrik Fredriksson, Programme Director, Debates on Europe; SE/AT

Thinking, Speaking and Writing Under Pressure – Academic Freedom
Keynote Speech by Karl Schlögel “The re-conceptualization of European history and the present moment”
Panel discussion “De-Centering the Story, Re-Writing History”

13 June
The Tbilisi Speech to Europe – Public Speech by Michal Hvorecký at Ilia State University
See the full programme at the link.

Since its inception in 2012, Debates on Europe has been hosted in places where the idea of Europe is at stake. In international discussion forums it addresses the most pressing issues on the European agenda, furthering free and open debate on cultural and social issues. In 2026, Debates on Europe is hosted in Tbilisi.
Organizers and supporters: S. Fischer Foundation, Academy for German Language and Literature, Ilia State University, Leibniz Centre for Literary and Cultural Research, Georgian Book Association, PEN Georgia, Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, the Embassy of Germany in Georgia, Embassy of Sweden in Georgia, SCEEUS, Gottfried Michelmann Foundation, West-Eastern Encounters Foundation, Treuhand, Voxeurop

More details about the debates: Tbilisi 2026 – Debates On Europe

Working languages: Georgian, English
Date: 12-13 June
Venue: Ilia State University, Room B201, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue
Admission is free.
Please complete the registration form for media accreditation https://forms.gle/EMhSXAeJCjSTizvBA

Public Lecture by PhD Candidate Nea Solander: The Efficacy of EU Democracy Promotion in the European Neighbourhood
2026-06-11 19:00 - 20:00
Ilia State University will host a public lecture by Nea Solander, Researcher and PhD Candidate at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Germany.
In her lecture, titled “The Efficacy of EU Democracy Promotion in the European Neighbourhood,” Nea Solander will present key findings from the Horizon Europe project EMBRACE, which examined the prospects and obstacles facing the European Union’s democracy promotion efforts across its neighbourhood.
Date: June 11
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Venue: Book House Ligamus, I. Chavchavadze Ave. N32
Attendance is free and open to all interested participants.

“Our Room” – Women’s Empowerment, Awareness-Raising, and Collective Care Days at Iliauni
2026-06-08 14:00 - 17:00
On 8 June, “Our Room” – Women’s Empowerment, Awareness-Raising, and Collective Care Days will begin at Ilia State University, organised by the Iliauni Women’s Empowerment Alumni Network.
In an environment where discussions on women’s rights are often hindered by disinformation, stereotypes, and social stigma, “Our Room” aims to create a safe, knowledge-based, and supportive space for conversations on feminist knowledge, women’s historical experiences, practices of care, bodily autonomy, recognising violence, and safety issues.
From 8 to 16 June, four thematic meetings will be held:
8 June, 14:00 – Lecture: “The History of the Women’s Movement in the West and in Georgia”
Speaker: Ekaterine Aghdgomelashvili, women’s rights defender, researcher, and trainer
The lecture-discussion will focus on the historical development of the women’s movement. The aim of the meeting is to dispel the myth that feminism and ideas of women’s equality emerged in Georgia only in the 1990s. Participants will discuss Georgian feminist thought of the 19th–20th centuries, the period of the First Republic, Soviet legacy, and post-Soviet challenges.

9 June, 14:00 – Lecture: “The Image and Symbolism of Women in Ancient Mesopotamian Civilisations”
Speaker: Nona Ghurchumelidze, Master’s student in Assyriology at Tbilisi State University
The speaker will discuss how women were perceived in pre-Greek and pre-Christian Mesopotamian cultures. The audience will be introduced to the image and symbolism of Ishtar, as well as to Enheduanna, the first known author in the history of literature, and her work Hymns to Ishtar.

11 June, 12:00 – Open Session: “Understanding and Responding to IPV”
Facilitator: Salome Shiukashvili, psychologist
The open session will focus on the psychosocial aspects of intimate partner violence. The meeting will include dialogue, discussion of real-life cases, and active audience participation.

16 June, 14:00 – Power Hour Workshop on Women’s Empowerment and Safety
Trainers: Natali Goginashvili and Mzeo Kandelaki, organisation “Pusfusi”
Workshop participants will be introduced to the basic principles of self-defence, body language, use of voice, verbal self-defence, clear expression of personal boundaries, and the body’s automatic responses to danger.

Each meeting will last 2 hours.
Students who attend at least three meetings focused on women’s empowerment and feminist care practices will receive certificate.
The registration deadline is June 5.
Registration form: https://forms.gle/18G1XRaApJXEi2vB6
Working language: Georgian
Dates: 8, 9, 11, and 16 June
Location: Ilia State University, Room S800, Centre for Advanced Studies, 1–3 G. Tsereteli Passage

Uncanny Remnants: Ruins, Otherness, and Belonging in Northeastern Turkey
2026-06-02 17:00 - 19:00
On 2 June 17:00 PM, Giorgi Cheishvili will deliver an online lecture “Uncanny Remnants: Ruins, Otherness, and Belonging in Northeastern Turkey”, organized by the Anthropology Research Center and the Doctoral Program in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Ilia State University.
Abstract
Anthropological accounts of ruins typically view them as bridges connecting people either to a specific historical era or to a specific absent “other.” But what happens when neither the past era nor the absent people can be identified or definitively named? This presentation centers on the ethnically Georgian Turkish citizens in the northeastern borderlands of Turkey. Rather than static monuments, I treat the church ruins in these villages as active sites that disrupt conventional ideas of time and continuity, resisting the two most common ways of relating to the past — claiming and externalization. I argue that this unresolvable ambiguity gives the ruins an uncanny quality, rendering them spaces that defy both ways of categorization. I demonstrate how these ruins take on a political life by resisting the very histories that local residents recognize as their own. Ultimately, I suggest, by their physical presence, these ruins quietly unsettle not only how the past is viewed, but how people imagine their right to belong to their immediate locality and to the Turkish nation more broadly.
Biography
Giorgi Cheishvili is a social anthropologist and a postdoctoral fellow at Utrecht University. He earned his PhD from the University of Bergen in 2022 and held research fellowships at the University of Oxford in 2023 and 2025. His work focuses on borders and bordering practices, state, territoriality, as well as the relationship between the physical border and social boundaries in the Turkish-Georgian borderland. Currently, as part of the ERC-funded INFRAEMPIRE project, he examines the impact of Turkish-led infrastructural development in Batumi, Georgia. His work explores how infrastructure and geopolitics intertwine in everyday life, shaping future imaginaries and producing new forms of power dynamics.

Public Lectures by Researchers from the Warsaw University of Life Sciences
2026-06-02 15:00 - 17:00
On June 2nd, 2026, at 15:00, Agnieszka Górska and Ewa Majewska, staff of Warsaw University of Life Sciences at the Institute of Food Sciences, Department of Chemistry (Poland) will give public lectures:
1. Definition and classification of carcinogens, carcinogenesis, selected carcinogens in food
This lecture delves into food safety and chemical toxicology. Attendees will explore the biological mechanisms of carcinogenesis (how normal cells transform into cancer cells) and look at how global health bodies classify hazardous substances. The session will highlight specific, naturally occurring or process-induced carcinogens found in common foodstuffs, providing critical insights into how dietary choices and processing methods affect toxicological risk.
2. Definition, classification and properties of herbs
Rooted in organic chemistry and food science, this lecture covers the rich world of botanical components. It will establish a clear framework for defining and categorizing various herbs based on their chemical and botanical profiles. The distinct properties of these plants, with a specific focus on their bioactive compounds, antioxidant potential, and their practical applications in preservation, wellness, and functional food development will be highlighted.
Working language: English
Location: Ilia State University, Hall G106, G. Tsereteli exit N 1-3

The Presentation of the Glaciology Research Centre
2026-05-29 16:00 - 17:00
On May 29, at 16:00, a presentation of the newly established ‘Glaciology Research Centre of Georgia’ will be held in Hall T102 of Ilia State University.
The Glaciology Research Centre will comprehensively study glaciers, cryosphere and climate change-induced processes.
The main goal of the center is the systematic monitoring of glaciers in Georgia and the Caucasus and the assessment of glaciological threats. The center will implement multi-year research programs, international projects, student and doctoral initiatives, as well as high-level scientific events.
The main areas of activity of the center:

Modern glaciological research;
Remote sensing;
Field expeditions;
Geomorphological analysis;
Glacial and climatic modeling.

Today, when climate change significantly accelerates the degradation of glaciers and increases the risk of natural hazards, the creation of such a center is a crucial step towards the sustainable development of both science and the country. The center will contribute to the deepening of international scientific cooperation, the development of young researchers and the integration of Georgia into the global glaciological research space.
The presentation will be led by Levan Tielidze, Associate Professor in Glaciology at Ilia State University. Professor Tielidze is the National Correspondent of the World Glacier Monitoring Service (https://wgms.ch/) and the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (https://cryosphericsciences.org/) for Georgia. He is also the regional representative of the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (https://www.glims.org/) for the Caucasus. Professor Tielidze was recently elected to the Council of the International Glaciological Society (https://www.igsoc.org/).
Time: May 29, 16:00
Location: Ilia State University, Hall T102, I. Chavchavadze Ave. N45
Attendance is free.

Workshop by Professor Paolo Bernardi “Mitochondria: From Energy Conservation to Disease Pathogenesis and Therapy"
2026-05-25 16:00 - 18:00
25th, 27th and 28th May, 2026 16.00-18.00 Led by Prof. Paolo Bernardi, MD Emeritus Professor, University of Padova (Italy) and Adjunct Professor, New York University
Join us for an advanced workshop exploring the vital role of mitochondria in health and disease. This program bridges the gap between historical bioenergetics and cutting-edge medical research, led by one of the field’s foremost experts.
Program Highlights

Energy Conservation in Bioenergetics: A historical look at how we came to understand cellular power.
War and Peace: How mitochondria integrated into eukaryotic cells and maintained biological harmony.
The Cancer Drama: Analyzing the pivotal role of mitochondrial dysfunction in tumor progression.
Muscular Dystrophies: Investigating mitochondrial pathogenesis and new horizons for therapy.

Who Should Participate?
This workshop is designed for students, researchers, and clinicians eager to deepen their understanding of mitochondrial signaling and its therapeutic implications.
Please pass the registration on link: https://forms.gle/Yr8q725QgRiu4Kmn7

Venue: Room 106, G Building, Ilia State University
Address: Giorgi Tsereteli 1, Tbilisi
Certification: An official Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to all participants upon completion.

Presentation of the Project “The Impact of Conflicts on Relations between the South Caucasus and Middle Eastern States” by Mushegh Ghahriyan and Aram Abajyan
2026-05-21 16:00 - 17:00
Annotation
The study of relations between the states of the South Caucasus and the Middle East is both timely and important, shaped by a range of factors including historical developments, regional conflicts, political and economic interests, as well as the expansion and deepening of interstate relations. The project aims to examine how regional conflicts have influenced the formation and evolution of relations between the countries of the South Caucasus and the Middle East. The research project is supported by the Higher Education and Science Committee of MESC RA (Project N 25YR-6A008).
About the Presenters
Mushegh Ghahriyan (Institute for Armenian Studies, Yerevan State University and Institute of Oriental Studies) is the head of the project. He earned his PhD in History in 2016. Mushegh Ghahriyan’s research interests include the modern history and foreign policies of the Arab states, Armenia’s foreign policy, and Armenian–Arab relations. His recent publications include “Building a Broad Partnership: The Evolution of Armenia–UAE Relations” (Contemporary Review of the Middle East, 2025) and “The Independence Referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan: Egypt’s Position and Coverage in Egyptian Online Media” (British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 2024).
Aram Abajyan (research fellow, Institute of Oriental Studies) received his PhD from the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University in 2017. His research interests focus on China’s Middle East policy, the Belt and Road Initiative and its implementation and prospects in the Middle East and the South Caucasus, as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Moderator: George Sanikidze (Project’s foreign consultant)
Working language: English
Time: May 21, 16:00
Location: Ilia State University, 201/202 meeting hall of Building S, Acad. G. Tsereteli Street N3
Attendance is free.

Cyprus: A Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot - Public Lecture by Iris Charalambidou
2026-05-21 15:00 - 17:00
On May 21st, at 15:00, in Room G 106 Ilia State University will host a public lecture by Dr. Iris Charalambidou entitled “Cyprus: A Mediterranean Biodiversity Hotspot.”
During the lecture, Dr. Charalambidou will share insights into the rich and unique biodiversity of Cyprus. Recognized as one of the Mediterranean’s biodiversity hotspots, Cyprus is home to an exceptional number of endemic flora and fauna species. The lecture will focus on the ecological significance of island ecosystems and the importance of their protection in the context of global environmental change.
Dr. Charalambidou is a biologist and ecologist with a BSc in Biology from Greece, an MSc in Ecology from North Wales, and a PhD in Ecology from the Netherlands. Over the past 30 years, she has been actively engaged in biodiversity research and conservation projects across Greece, England, Wales, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Cyprus.
In the early stages of her career, she worked with non-governmental organizations and co-founded four NGOs dedicated to environmental protection and conservation. Since 2010, she has been an academic at University of Nicosia, Cyprus. Dr. Charalambidou’s teaching and research focus on avian ecology, the role of birds as indicators of environmental health, and the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
Her work has received both local and international recognition. She has appeared in numerous media outlets, participated in seven documentaries, received two international awards, and in 2023 was named a Conservation Hero by Jackson Wild, the United Nations, and CITES.

Student Scientific Conference “The European Union and the South Caucasus: Integration, Security and Regional Transformations”
2026-05-20 13:00 - 14:00
On 20 May, the student scientific conference “The European Union and the South Caucasus: Integration, Security and Regional Transformations” will be held in the G106 Conference Hall of Ilia State University. The conference is organised within the EU-funded project “Jean Monnet Chair at Iliauni” and by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
The conference aims to encourage students’ academic research, critical thinking and discussion on European integration, regional security, and ongoing political and geopolitical processes in the South Caucasus.
The student scientific conference will begin at 13:00. Students will present conference papers on the European Union, the South Caucasus, European integration, security and regional transformations.
The conference brings together undergraduate and graduate students from Ilia State University and other authorised higher education institutions in Georgia, representing political science, international relations, European studies and related fields.
Three best student presentations will be selected, and their authors will receive gift vouchers from Ligamus Book House. The best papers will be published as an electronic collection, and participants will receive bilingual certificates.
Programme

13:00 — Student scientific conference.

For further information, please contact the organisers at: jeanmonnetchair@iliauni.edu.ge
Time: May 20, 13:00
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall G106, G. Tsereteli Entrance N 1-3

Presentation of Professor Giorgi Gvalia’s Book and Panel Discussion at Ilia State University
2026-05-20 11:00 - 14:00
On 20 May, a presentation of Professor Giorgi Gvalia’s book, “The European Union as a Global Actor: Institutions, Values and Interests”, and a panel discussion will be held in the G106 Conference Hall of Ilia State University. The event is organised within the EU-funded project “Jean Monnet Chair at Iliauni” and by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
The event aims to promote academic discussion on the European Union’s global role, European integration, regional security in the South Caucasus, and current geopolitical developments.
The event will begin with participant registration at 10:30. The book presentation will start at 11:00. The book was prepared and published within the framework of the Jean Monnet Chair.
Following the book presentation, a panel discussion will be held with the participation of academic staff in social and political sciences at Ilia State University.
Panel Discussion Participants

Ivane Lomidze — Associate Professor, Sociology;
Zarina Burkadze — Associate Professor, Political Science;
Nino Pavlebishvili — Associate Professor, Political Science;
Giorgi Gvalia — Professor, Politics and International Relations.
Giorgi Odoshashvili- Panel Moderator

The panel discussion will address the following topics: cooperation and political dynamics between the European Union and the South Caucasus; Georgia’s European integration; EU enlargement policy and the South Caucasus; the EU’s role in regional security; the South Caucasus amid contemporary geopolitical changes; the influence of external actors — the United States, Russia, China, Turkey and Iran — in the region; democratisation, human rights and the rule of law; energy security, connectivity and transit corridors; hybrid threats, disinformation and resilience; conflicts and peacebuilding perspectives; youth, education and EU opportunities in the South Caucasus.
Programme

10:30 — Participant registration;
11:00 — Presentation of Professor Giorgi Gvalia’s book “The European Union as a Global Actor: Institutions, Values and Interests”;

Following the book presentation — Panel discussion.
For further information, please contact the organisers at: jeanmonnetchair@iliauni.edu.ge
Time: 20 May
10:30 — Participant registration
11:00 — book presentation
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall G106, G. Tsereteli Exit N 1-3

A public lecture by Dr. Piotr Cerynger “Biological diversity in Poland: research and conservation”
2026-05-18 16:00 - 18:00
On May 18th, 2026, at 16:00, Dr. Piotr Ceryngier, a professor at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Poland will give a public lecture “Biological diversity in Poland: research and conservation”
Poland is a country in Central Europe characterized by geological and topographical diversity. It is influenced by both an oceanic and a continental climate, and its regions have been transformed to varying degrees by human activity. The lecture aims to give the audience an insight into diversity of landscapes, ecosystems and species found in Poland. Biodiversity related research and conservation measures will also be briefly discussed, and some of the challenges facing nature and biodiversity conservation in Poland will be highlighted.
Dr. Piotr Ceryngier, a professor at the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Poland, is a long-standing academic teacher and researcher specializing in the ecology and biogeography of insects. His current research focuses on the faunas of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in several Palaearctic regions, the spread of alien ladybird species in various parts of the world and the potential of natural enemies (parasites, parasitoids, pathogens) to control their numbers.
Location: G106, G.Tsereteli st 1, G building (near Vake Park)
Working language: English

Meet the Austrians, meet the Georgians: Business, Communication and Culture – what are we talking about? An interactive Workshop
2026-04-17 19:00 - 21:00
About the workshop

What characterizes business today in Austria and Georgia?
Which impacts do international settings have on business?
How is business affected by cultural differences?
What has to be considered when engaging in intercultural exchange in a corporate context?
What’s an Austrian working style, what do young professionals think in Georgia?

Interactive Workshop
About the speakers
Alexander Burka, Prof. PhD. M.A
Professor for international Business Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland, Austria. Courses on international competencies, intercultural management and Russian as foreign language.
More than 25 years professional experience in various fields of activity in more than 60 countries worldwide for international organisations and enterprises.
Nina Trinkl, Prof. MMag.
Programme Director of the Master’s program in International Business Relations at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland, Austria. Courses in strategic management, international marketing and research methods.
More than 15 years professional experience in higher education as well as consumer marketing in FMCG and telecommunications industry.
Date: April 17, 2026
Venue: E207, 45 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, Tbilisi, 0179, Georgia

The Ecology of Everyday Life: Local Food Practices in the Face of Environmental Threats in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Region
2026-04-07 17:00 - 18:00
On April 7 at 17:00, the Anthropology Research Centre and the Doctoral Programme in Social and Cultural Anthropology invite you to an online seminar by Dr. Natallia Paulovich: “The Ecology of Everyday Life: Local Food Practices in the Face of Environmental Threats in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti Region.”

Abstract:
This presentation outlines the conceptual foundations of the emerging research project “The ecology of everyday life: Local food practices in the face of environmental threats in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region”. The future study will investigate how communities living in an arsenic-affected area of northern Georgia navigate environmental uncertainty in their daily lives, with particular attention to food sourcing, preparation, and consumption. Although geological, environmental and medical researchers have extensively documented arsenic contamination stemming from abandoned processing facilities, the social dimensions of this ecological crisis remain largely unexamined. Little is known about how residents understand contamination, how risk knowledge circulates within households and communities, or how longstanding culinary traditions are re-interpreted in light of perceived threats. Building on Mary Douglas’s insight that purity and pollution operate as both symbolic and social classifications, the project approaches toxicity not only as a measurable chemical hazard but also as a lived condition embedded in everyday practices. The presentation maps the conceptual terrain that guides this ethnographic inquiry, drawing on scholarship in environmental anthropology and studies of foodways under conditions of degradation, and comparative research on community responses to industrial pollution. It introduces the proposed methodological framework—long-term participant observation, semi-structured interviews, household food mapping, and interdisciplinary collaboration with environmental scientists—designed to trace the interplay between ecological risk and domestic life. By outlining the theoretical rationale and research design, this presentation sets the stage for a broader investigation into how rural communities in Georgia interpret, negotiate, and accommodate environmental threats in their everyday ecologies. The goal is to articulate the analytical questions that will drive the fieldwork and to situate the project within ongoing environmental debates.
Bio
Dr. Natallia Paulovich is an Assistant Professor at The Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw, Poland, specialising in gender studies, food anthropology sociology, and Eastern European studies. She earned her Ph.D. in Sociology from the Polish Academy of Sciences in 2018, and holds a master’s degree in History. Dr. Paulovich has conducted extensive fieldwork in Georgia and Belarus, focusing on issues of gender, social identity, and post-Soviet transformations. Her work has been published in journals such as Slavic Review and Anthropology of the Contemporary Middle East and Central Eurasia. Her first book called ‘The Taste of Agency: Cooking, Gender, and Social Change in Georgia’ appeared in 2025 in Palgrave MacMillan.

The Agency and Materiality of Sacred Texts in Armenian Christianity
2026-03-31 17:00 - 18:00
The Anthropology Research Center of Ilia State University, together with the PhD Program in Social and Cultural Anthropology, invites you to a seminar by Konrad Siekierski on March 31 at 17:00: “The Agency and Materiality of Sacred Texts in Armenian Christianity”.
The seminar will take place at Ilia State University, Room A103 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue.
This lecture will discuss the social lives of Armenian Christian books and scrolls, which act as sacred thing-beings endowed with supernatural power and agency, having life histories and personalities. Drawing on literature on material religion and ethnographic examples from my research, I will ask what these texts are, what they do, and how they relate to people. To respond to these questions, I will examine the phenomenon of ‘home saints’ venerated in unoﬃcial shrines across several regions of Armenia and in Armenian-populated parts of Georgia, where they aﬀord the Armenian Christians the experience of a ‘radical presence or realness’ (Orsi 2008: 14) of the sacred. Then, I will turn to the Matenadaran (the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts) in Yerevan. In this state repository, research centre, and museum, Armenian religious texts have been protected, renovated, studied, and displayed as precious pieces of tangible national heritage. However, some of these manuscripts have resisted secularisation while preserving the traditional roles of powerful thing-beings which/who attract not only visitors but also pilgrims to the Matenadaran.
Konrad Siekierski holds a PhD in social anthropology from the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King’s College London. Konrad is a co-editor of Armenia: A Modern Culture from an Anthropological Perspective (2014), Armenians in Post-Socialist Europe (2016), and a special issue of the Entangled Religions journal on “Religion and Pandemic” (2022).

Nana Iashvili's online lecture “Collateralized lives”: Home, debt, and financialization in the Republic of Georgia
2026-03-24 17:00 - 18:00
Tuesday, 24 March at 17:00 PM Nana Iashvili will deliver an online lecture “Collateralized lives”: Home, debt, and financialization in the Republic of Georgia.
In this talk, Nana will present framework and preliminary findings for her PhD project that investigates credit-debt arrangements in Georgia where individuals use their homes to borrow large sums of money. Examining the roles of creditors ranging from banks to informal moneylenders, to ‘Giravnoba’, her work delves into the transformation of housing into a financial asset, subsequent displacements and dispossessions and how these processes affect households and people’s daily lives.
Nana holds an MA in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Central European University. Currently, at the Social and Cultural Anthropology department at the University of Vienna, Nana’s PhD research centers on housing-related debts in Georgia. Nana is a member of the Landscapes of Extraction: Capital, Violence and City team and a fellow at the Challenge of the Urban Futures Platform.
Working language: English
Format: online — for details contact mariam.darchiashvili@iliauni.edu.ge
Time: 24 March 2026, 17:00 Tbilisi time
Free to attend.

Workshop - Academic Writing and Publishing in the Postplagiarism Era
2026-03-19 08:00 - 17:00
This workshop is part of the project “Addressing Academic Misconduct and Integrity in Georgia,” funded with the support of the Center for Governance and Culture in Europe (GCE-HSG) at the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland.
This workshop is designed for early-career researchers and doctoral students and focuses on academic integrity, generative AI, and scholarly writing and publishing in the digital age. It explores how AI tools are reshaping research practices, authorship, and scholarly responsibility, with particular attention to ethical use, transparency, and integrity. Participants will engage in practical discussions on responsible AI-supported writing, avoiding academic misconduct and navigating emerging institutional and journal policies. The workshop also provides guidance on developing a strong academic voice and maintaining rigor while working with digital tools. Through interactive sessions and real-world examples, participants will gain concrete strategies for ethical, confident, and future-oriented academic practice, including insights into publishing in leading international journals.
The workshop will be led by PD Dr. Elena Denisova-Schmidt, Privatdozentin at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) and Research Fellow at the Boston College Center for International Higher Education, and Dr. Tatiana Sitchinava, Assistant Researcher at the Institute of Demography and Sociology, Ilia State University.
The workshop will be held on 25 May 2026 at 11:00, at Ilia State University.
The working language of the workshop is English.
For submission, please fill in the Google Form: Blank Quiz – Google Forms
The deadline for submission is 30 April 2026.
Selected candidates will be contacted by email in early May.

Iliauni Turns 20! Unite for Iliauni!
2026-02-15 18:00 - 20:00
Twenty years of learning loud.
Twenty years of thinking free.
Twenty years of research, courage, and building something together that matters.
For two decades, we’ve been creating more than a university.
We’ve been creating an academic free space for questions, for ideas, for science that has power.
Because a university is not just walls and classrooms.
It is our responsibility.
To society.
To the country.
To the future.
We stand together to defend our university.
To defend education.
To defend the belief that a better future is built only on knowledge.
We stand together to face challenges head-on and say clearly:
This path is ours. And no one will rewrite it for us.
“Only science can fight ignorance.”
“Where there is no knowledge, there is no person; where there is no person, there is no society; and where there is no society, there is no nation.” – Ilia Chavchavadze
On February 15, at 6:00 PM, students, alumni, professors – all of us – gather at Ilia State University’s A Building to stand for 20 years of continuous building, growing, and believing.
Side by side.
Stronger together.
The journey continues.
With us: Lexo Ratiani & LOUDspeakers
Ligamus – Iliauni unites us
Time: February 15, 6:00 PM
Location: Ilia State University, Building A Courtyard, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue

Studying and Living in Korea: International Student Experience
2026-02-04 16:00 - 17:00
Are you considering studying or living in South Korea?
Many prospective students form their expectations of life in Korea through K-dramas and social media. This workshop offers a more realistic and informed perspective on what it truly means to study and live in South Korea.
The session will be led by Zarina Nurillaeva, who has been studying in South Korea at the University of Inha for the past three years. Drawing on first-hand experience, the workshop aims to present the realities of academic and everyday life beyond dramatized images.
The workshop will cover the following topics:

The reality of Korean university life
Academic culture, examinations, and student responsibilities
Housing options, living expenses, and part-time employment
Cultural differences and adaptation challenges
Useful information for students who want to study in Korea, including scholarship opportunities

Additional highlight:
The session will include short quiz activities, with small prizes for participants.
Join us to explore the real side of studying and living in Korea.
Working Language: English
Venue: G 106 Hall, G. Tsereteli 1
Time: 4 February 2026, 16:00

Mohammad Golshan’s Lecture JUDEO-PERSIAN IN THE HISTORY OF IRAN AND AS A LANGUAGE OF RECOMPILING MEDICINE
2025-12-25 16:00 - 17:00
About the Presenter
Mohammad Golshan is currently pursuing a joint double-program PhD in Iranian Studies at the University of Göttingen in Germany and in Terrains, textes, interdisciplinarité (2TI) at EHESS in France. His main focus is on the history of medical science in the early modern global history. Currently, He is working on the feminine body in Indo-Persian medical and occult texts of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Along with Judeo-Persian codicology, he is also interested in Judeo-Persian medical writings, folk medicine, divination, and magic in Iran and Central Asia, specifically in texts from the 15th to the 19th century in Iran and Bukhara.
Annotation
The medical texts that were recompiled in Judeo-Persian are among the sources that have not received the attention they truly merit. A significant collection of Judeo-Persian medical manuscripts, which are recompilations of medieval Persian medical texts, is housed in the Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. While there may be similarities in their codicological features, it is essential to examine them as discrete cases. This lecture proposes a general examination of one of these sources in The Library of JTS, Kifāyat-i Manṣūrī, along with a practice of reading some excerpts of the text as an interactive learning endeavor. This lecture will encompass two primary components as well: an exposition of the sources stored in the Library of JTS and a historical background of writing in Judeo-Persian in Persianate world context.
Working language: English
Time: December 25, 16:00
Location: Ilia State University, 201/202 meeting hall of Building S, Acad. G. Tsereteli Street N3
Attendance is free.

Conference "Dictionary Day"
2025-12-20 10:00 - 19:30
On December 20, 2025, the Centre for Lexicography and Language Technologies at Ilia State University will host Dictionary Day, dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Professor Tinatin Margalitadze’s birth. This year, Dictionary Day will be held as a conference, featuring contributions from Tinatin Margalitadze, Giorgi Meladze, and students of the Master’s and PhD programmes in Lexicography.
Working language: Georgian
Time: December 20, 10:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Venue: Ilia State University, Hall G106, G. Tsereteli Entrance N 1-3
Conference program available at the link.
Attendance is free.

Public lecture by Dr. Alberto Roper Pol Primordial Magnetic Fields and Gravitational Waves An Overview of Research
2025-12-18 17:00 - 18:00
On December 18 at 5:00 PM, a seminar of Space Research Center will be held at Ilia State University S507. Dr. Alberto Roper Pol will give a presentation on the multi-messenger studies of primordial magnetic fields and gravitational wave backgrounds.
Dr. Alberto Roper Pol is the leader of the Cosmology and Astroparticles Group at the University of Geneva.
Dr. Roper Pol collaborates with Ilia State University professors and researchers on issues related to cosmological gravitational waves, and they have jointly published articles in leading scientific journals.

Public Lecture: Urban transformation and the importance of sustainable and social public spaces
2025-12-05 19:00 - 20:00
On December 3 at 7:00 PM, the Architecture Program at Ilia State University will host a public lecture by Swiss landscape architect Ludger Krabbe. The lecture, “Urban Transformation and the Importance of Sustainable and Social Public Spaces,” will showcase projects by BRYUM, a Basel-based studio. Mr. Krabbe will highlight approaches to open-space urban design that improve residents’ daily lives and benefit the environment.
About the Speaker
Ludger Krabbe is a landscape architect. Since 2015, he has been a member of BRYUM’s executive management. He has 25 years of experience working in both the public and private sectors in Germany and Switzerland. He is also a guest lecturer at the FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. His teaching focuses on climate-responsive and cooling-oriented urban spaces.
The lecture is part of the public program of the student architectural workshop “Sustainable Design for Green Spaces,” which will take place at Ilia State University from December 3–7. The workshop aims to deepen knowledge about sustainable solutions and participatory practices in the development of urban green spaces.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation Tbilisi Office supports the event.
Working language: English
Time: 3 December, 7:00 PM
Address: Qaqutsa Cholokashvili Avenue 3/5, Building H, Room 105
Attendance is free.

Public Discussion: Sustainable Design in the Era of Climate Crisis – The Georgian Experience
2025-12-05 19:00 - 20:00
On 5th December at 7:00 pm, a public discussion organised by the Architecture Programme at Ilia University will be held on the topic: Sustainable Design in the Era of Climate Crisis – Georgia’s Experience.
Climate change remains a key global challenge today. As Earth’s temperatures continue to rise quickly, the frequency and severity of natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and wildfires are also expected to increase. These events threaten human life, health, and essential resources and lead to substantial infrastructural damage. Countries and cities are working on developing approaches and strategies to reduce climate change impacts, respond effectively, and support adaptation. Urban planning and architecture can significantly contribute to these efforts.
During the public discussion, we will address the current situation in Georgia related to this topic and examine the experience gained in urban planning and architecture.
Speakers:
Kakha Bakhtadze – Environmental Protection Specialist
Salome Dvali – Environmental Protection Specialist
Energy Efficiency Center representative
The discussion is part of the public program of the student architectural workshop “Sustainable Design for Green Spaces,” which will take place at Ilia State University from December 3–7. The workshop aims to deepen knowledge about sustainable solutions and participatory practices in the development of urban green spaces.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation Tbilisi Office supports the event.
Working language: Georgian
Time: 5 December, 7:00 PM
Address: Qaqutsa Cholokashvili Avenue 3/5, Building H, Room 105
Attendance is free.

My Socialist Home” – Film screening and discussion
2025-12-02 18:00 - 19:00
My Socialist Home (Iulia Statica and Adrian Catu, 2021) is a documentary that captures the lived experiences and memories of five women who lived in Bucharest’s socialist housing blocks during the communist era in Romania, and who continue to live in these apartments today. The film examines the historical significance and contemporary relevance of two major reforms initiated under Nicolae Ceaușescu’s regime (1965-1989): one aimed at demographic growth through the control of reproduction, the other focused on unprecedented mass housing construction involving extensive demolitions. Although set in the contemporary postsocialist context, the film reflects on these historical reforms by presenting the everyday lives and stories of its subjects. In doing this, it reveals the contradictions, subtleties, and the gendered nature of life under communism, foregrounding the prismatic role of architecture in the constitution and afterlife of socialism.
Iulia Statica is a Mellon Fellow in Democracy and Landscape at Harvard University’s Dumbarton Oaks Institute in Washington, DC and a Lecturer at the School of Architecture and Landscape at the University of Sheffield, UK. She previously held postdoctoral positions at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, and Cornell University. Her research focuses on the legacies of socialist-built environments in Eastern Europe, particularly mass housing, and the gendered experiences of these spaces. She investigates experiences of domesticity, infrastructure, and feminized migration in the wider context of Cold War and imperial histories, and their influence on contemporary postsocialist practices. She is the author of Urban Phantasmagorias: Domesticity, Production, and the Politics of Modernity in Communist Bucharest.
Time: 2 December, 18:00
Format: Online
Join Zoom Meeting https://iliauni-edu-ge.zoom.us/j/81858419018?pwd=[REDACTED]

International Workshop Jewishness in Georgian and European Literatures
2025-11-28 16:00 - 17:00
Ilia State University, Institute of Comparative Literature
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
International Workshop
Jewishness in Georgian and European Literatures
Friday, 28 November 2025
Book Store Ligamus
Ilia State University
Ilia Chavcahvadze av. 32, Tbilisi, Georgia
The objective of the workshop is to examine the literary representations of Jewishness in Georgian and European literatures from 1850 until the present. Drawing upon a transnational and intermedial perspective, the aim is to explore artistic, literary, musical and cinematographic examples in the context of the politico-racial anti-Semitism that emerged during the 19th century: the Dreyfus Affair and its resonance in Western, Central and Eastern Europe, followed by the rise of fascisms, Nazism and the rupture introduced by the Shoah, as well as the state anti-Semitism of the Soviet Stalinist regime.
The fundamental question that this workshop seeks to address pertains to the manner in which literature, in its broadest sense, encompassing its manifold forms of representation, portrays Jewishness within diverse social and national contexts. This raises the question of the response or capability of writing to respond to the rise of anti-Semitism through diverse historical circumstances, including our contemporary world. The objective of this workshop is to (re)examine questions on a vast subject that is still very under-explored in certain areas and from particular perspectives, such as minor literature and forgotten writers.
The primary research topics encompass, but are not limited to, the following:

Jewishness in literary history: an examination of both national and transnational contexts;
The body in the marginalised space;
Spaces of exclusion;
Representation of Jewishness in an intermedial perspective;
(Co)inhabiting common spaces;
Examination of alternative forms of exclusion and marginalisation (for example, racial, social and gender-based) and their literary and artistic manifestations.

To participate in the workshop
You are invited to submit your proposal by October 20, 2025. The proposal should include: Title, Abstract of the paper (250 words) and short biography (250 words).
The proposal should be sent: tina_mamatsashvili@iliauni.edu.ge,bela_tsipuria@iliauni.edu.ge
Working Languages: Georgian, English, French
Format: Hybrid
Organising committee

Ilia State University: Atinati Mamatsashvili, Bela Tsipuria
Vrije Universiteit Brussel: Arvi Sepp

Scientific committee

Mzaro Dokhtourishvili (Ilia State University)
Atinati Mamatsashvili (Ilia State University)
Arvi Sepp (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Nino Pirtskhalava (Ilia State University)
Bela Tsipuria (Ilia State University)

2025

The Blood Donation Day
2025-11-25 11:00 - 15:00
The Blood Donation Day will be held in the buildings A and T of Iliauni on November 25, it will be organized by the Department of Student Affairs of Ilia State University.
As part of the campaign, the mobile teams of the “Natalia Kvantaliani Central Blood Bank” and “Sicockhle” organizations, staffed by professional, experienced doctors, will offer those who wish to selflessly donate blood and thus show their support for people who need help.
Any person between the ages of 18 and 65 can become a blood donor if:

your weight is 50 kg or more;
you have not been infected with viral hepatitis B and C;
syphilis, tuberculosis;
you are not infected with HIV;
you do not have blood or oncological diseases;
you are not a drug user;
you have not undergone a surgical operation, you have not been vaccinated against tetanus and rabies in the last 1 year;
you have not gotten a tattoo in the last 6 months;
you have not had contact with other people’s blood;
you have not been pregnant in the last 6 months;
the donor must be practically healthy on the day of donation – must not have a fever, runny nose, catarrh, or other flu-like symptoms.

Those who participate in the charity event will receive the following research results free of charge:

Group, rhesus, phenotype
Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, cytomegalovirus and AIDS virus

A person who is going to donate should know the following:

Blood donation is an easy, safe and painless process;
When donating blood, only disposable material is used and the donor is protected from infection;
Donating blood is absolutely safe for health;
Blood donation is recommended in the first half of the day;
It is better to eat lightly and drink sweet tea in the morning on the day of blood donation. You should refrain from taking tobacco and analgesics;
Blood can be donated again after 2 months;

Bring a proof of identity card with you.
Time: 11:00-16:00
Location:

Natalia Kvantaliani Central Blood Bank – Building A of Iliauni. Student space, I. Chavchavadze Ave. N32
“Sicockhle” blood bank – Building T of Iliauni, student space, Cholokashvili Ave. N3/5
