The State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili together with the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Irine Abuladze awarded the successful students from the occupied territories with Dimitri Gulia and Kosta Khetagurov scholarships.

The scholarship initiated by the State Minister and supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport was established for the first time and is intended for the students from the occupied territories who showed the best results despite the numerous obstacles and received the highest scores.

This year these scholarships received Giorgi Tsikolia, Georgian Technical University, and Robinzon Iluridze, Caucasus University. They are from occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region. Students will receive 300 GEL per month during one academic year.

"With this step we would like to emphasize that the protection of Abkhazian and Ossetian culture is very important for us. The Abkhaz language is a constitutional language and we have a special state program that contributes to the development of Abkhazian language and culture. Education is very important, especially for the young people living in the occupied territories with regard to all the challenges, visible or invisible obstacles to which these young people have to deal with and are still successful. This is the most correct answer today on the force policy that has been implemented over the years.

"We have a new peace initiative "A Step to a Better Future ", a large part of which is about the access to quality education. I'm sure this particular step will be one more incentive for younger students to show even higher academic performance, to be more successful. This is our way – to confront occupation with more education, more development, very purposeful and concrete steps, which we will definitely do", - said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

According to one of the scholarships owners Robinzon Iluridze, the scholarship will be an additional motivation for him to learn better and to achieve better results.

"I did not really expect this and I am very confused and happy. I want to thank everyone. First of all, my teachers who gave me education and brought me here. I wish other students to succeed", - said Robinzon.

The scholarship coincided with the 145th anniversary of Dimitry Gulia's birth and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the first Abkhazian print media.

Dimitri Gulia was an Abkhazian writer, founder of Abkhazian literature, public poet of Abkhazia and a member of the Supreme Council of the USSR. Kosta Khetagurov is considered as the founder, poet, educator and artist of Ossetian literature.