Today, at the Administration of the Government of Georgia, Zaza Vashakmadze the chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues met with the head of the group on Human Security Issues of the EUMM, the head of the National Contingent of the Czech Republic Jiri Rous and the group observer Yana Kukhmonen. Jiri Rous told the chairman of the agency about the patrolling of the EUMM in the Tskhinvali zone and about those religious problems

oday the chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze met with Ayatollah Mohsem Mushtaid Shabistan at the Administration of the Government of Georgia. The meeting was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Georgia H.E Seyed Javad Ghavam Shahidi, Sheikh of All Georgia – Ramin Igidov and Mufti of Eastern Georgia Yasin Aliev.

n the framework of the visit to Israel the chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze and the delegation members met with the members of the Council of Georgian-Jewish Rabbis in Herzliya: rabbi Tskhak Modzghvrishvili, rabbi Shabtai Mikhelashvili, rabbi Aaron Elashvili, rabbi Bentsion Mikhelashvili, rabbi Raphael Chikvashvili and the chairman of the Association of Georgian-Jewish Rabbis Tamaz Sepiashvili.

Within the framework of the visit to Israel the chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze and the delegation members met with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III. His Holiness, the Patriarch of Jerusalem and Palestine expressed special respect for the ancient Christian history and tolerance of Georgia and spoke about the unity of Orthodox churches and nations.

The meeting between the chairman and the delegation members of the State Agency for Religious Issues and the head of the Department of Non-Jewish Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel was interesting for both sides.

Israel is a country where religion is particularly sensitive. Given that the holy land is a homeland of religions and representatives of different religions have holy places there. That’s why according to the MIA representative 

Chief Rabin of Israel Shmuel Rabinovich met with the delegetion of the State Agency for Religious Issues at the Western Wall where a special prayer was performed for the unity of Georgian and Jewish nations and states. The chief Rabin handed over a copy of Hebrew prayer performed in Georgian alphabet to the chairman of the agency Zaza Vashakmadze. Later, as a sign of special respect for the guests, the Georgian delegation was able to visit the huge 

ithin the framework of the visit to Israel the chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze and the delegation members met with the head of the Christian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice of Israel Josh Hirschler.

Zaza Vashakmadze became interested in the legislative basis and experience that defines the standards of freedom of religion in Israel. According to Hirschler religion and state are not seperated from each other in Israel. Regulations of the religious sphere are divided in three Ministries in Israel: 

The visit of the chairman of the agency and Georgian delegation continues in Israel. On the 5^th of July the Georgian delegation met with the Head of the World Jewish and World religions Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Akiva Tory and with the director of the World Religions Department of the same bureau Sharon Regev and with the director of Religious Tourism Department of the Ministry of Turism of Israel Elia Hauliphshits.  The guests were

Since the 3^rd of July the chairman of the State Agency of Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze has been visiting Israel.  The first meeting was held with the Director of the Euro-Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel Rafael Harpaz. The chairman of the agency introduced Rafael Harpaz to the activities of the agency its functions and tasks and the activities of the government in the context of religious diversity and the activities carried out by