The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, addressed the participants of the International Comparative Literature Congress and noted that holding the largest scientific and cultural forum in the field of literature and criticism in Tbilisi is an important and crucial event for the country.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "The International Congress of Comparative Literature brings together the world's leading critics, literary experts, cultural experts, translators and writers. This is what makes the event so unique.

I would like to point out that the congress has a long history and has been held in different cities of the world since the 60s of the last century. I am immensely pleased that in 2022, Tbilisi has joined the list of these great cities of the world.

I believe that the congress will significantly contribute to raising the awareness not only of Georgian literature, but also of the country as a whole at an international level. It should be noted that Georgia is the first post-Soviet country where the International Congress of Comparative Literature is held.

I would like to emphasize the theme of this year's congress - "Rethinking world literature: global and local, central and marginal" which really provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the issues of the modern world and Georgian literature. As for the format of the international congress this year, it has been adapted to facilitate the internationalization of Georgian literature and the local culture promotion.

I am sure that the International Congress of Comparative Literature will be a very important event in the scientific and cultural life of Georgia. The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia is ready to support international events of this scale in order to expediate the involvement of professionals and experts in the field and their unification from all over the world.

I wish all of you a successful event and a fruitful discussion!"

It should be noted that the International Congress of Comparative Literature is recognized as the largest and most competent scientific and cultural forum in the field of literature and criticism.

Since the 1960s, the congress has been held once every three years and is usually held in leading university centres of the world. Venice, Tokyo, Paris, Vienna, Macau, and other important cities have hosted the Congress at different times. Tbilisi now has joined their ranks in 2022.

The right to hold the congress in Tbilisi was obtained by the Georgian Association of Comparative Literature in cooperation with the Tbilisi State University named after Ivane Javakhishvili and the Institute of Georgian Literature named after Shota Rustaveli. The final official decision of the Council was made in 2019, for which I am truly grateful.

The format of the congress envisages the participation of thousands of delegates - the involvement of the world's leading critics, literary experts, cultural experts, translators and writers. Plenary speakers of the Congress usually represent the leading literary centres of the world.

The theme - "Rethinking world literatures: global and local, central and marginal directions", which was chosen in the format of intensive communication and dialogue between the leading specialists in the field, was well adapted to the problems of Georgian literature and literary studies.

To better understand and promote local writing and culture, the format of the congress provides for interdisciplinary reports, as well as various workshops and thematic meetings.

The congress is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall, Local City Assembly, Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, international organizations, and other state structures in Tbilisi.

Among the post-Soviet countries, Georgia is the first country to host an event of such scale.