The International Festival of Science and Innovation in 2017 ended with a grandiose event on October 10 - the best scientists of the year were awarded within the announced contest. Also, the winners in the photo contest and student competition in journalism were also revealed.

"Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation Award for the Best Scientist and Scientists Group of the Year" was given:

• The best foreign scientist of the year in the field of Kartvelology, Timothy Blauvelt;

• The best scientist of 2017, working in Georgian Studies, Tamar Makharoblidze;

• The youngest scientist of 2017 in the field of  Georgian Studies, Levan Tielidze ;

• Youngest scientist of 2017 - Giorgi Tepnadze;

• The best scientist of 2017 - Ramaz Katsarava;

• The best scientific research group of 2017 - Temur Zakarashvili, Vasil Kukhianidze and Davit Kuridze.

The winners were awarded cash, as well as glass engraved awards and certificates. In addition, for the first time this year, by the decision of the Contest Commission, the merit certificates were awarded to 24 scientists for contribution to the development of scientific field in Georgia.

Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Science Aleksandre Jejelava, Chairman of Education, Science and Culture Committee of the Parliament Mariam Jashi, Mayor of Tbilisi David Narmania and representatives of various spheres known to society congratulated the winners. The evening was musically organized by band of Davit Mazanashvili and singer Giorgi Sukhitashvili.

The Festival organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia was held in the capital and several big cities, from September 24 to October 10. The International Festival of Science and Innovation has been held for the third time this year and compared to the previous years it has covered almost all Georgia. Several central and 300 parallel events were held within the Festival 2017. In particular, scientific picnics, conferences, presentations, exhibitions, scientific-popular lecture-seminars, public lectures, trainings, workshops and others.

The scientific picnics organized within the Festival (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Akhaltsikhe, Batumi, Senaki, Telavi, Gori) had distinctively many observers of all ages, including especially a lot of school pupils.