Ilia II the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia invited the representatives of all religious organizations in Georgia to the Patriarchate for the International Day of Tolerance. At the reception held on the initiative of the State Agency for Religious Issues and in accordance with the decision of the Patriarchate of Georgia the leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church said that November 16 is a great and important day which unites people of different religious and ethnic groups and underlines our centuries-old unity and the tradition of our country.

The clergymen invited to the meeting unanimously noted that strengthening mutual respect and tolerance, love and friendship between the confessions is based on such kind of relationships. Today’s meeting was a perfect example of this and His Holiness and Beatitude - the best model of friendship and love.

The chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues Zaza Vashakmadze noted that today the state protects and continues the tradition which our forefathers together with the representatives of different nationalities and confessions had been shaping for centuries. Country’s religious policy, all the decisions that have been made by the state regarding the confessions, including provision of financial assistance to the activities of religious organizations or solution of property issues are based on peaceful coexistence, freedom of religion and freedom of expression and promotion of religious activities.

Zaza Vashakmadze offered religious organizations to establish such kind of meetings as a tradition according to which every year, on the 16^th of November all the confessions celebrate this day at various religious organizations in order to enforce mutual respect and love and strengthen our country.

The meeting was attended by:

Ramin Igidov – Sheikh of Muslim Community of Georgia

Iasin Aliev – Mufti of Eastern Georgia

Beglar Kamashidze – Mufti of Western Georgia

Khoren Hovhannisyan - Archimandrite of Armenian Apostolic Church

Rakhamin Murdukhashvili – Rabbi of Tbilisi Great Synagogue

Merab Chanchalashvili – Chairman of the Board of Tbilisi Great Synagogue

Hans-Joachim Kiderlan – Bishop of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Georgia

Fr. Maciej Mamaj – Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus

Shmagi Chankvetadze – Pastor of Georgian Evangelical-Protestant Church

Dimitri Pirabari – Chairman of the Spiritual Council of the Yezidi Community in Georgia

Jamlet Khukhashvili