Tbilisi State Conservatoire Rector Leaves Her Post
On October 23, the Rector of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, Nana Sharikadze, left her post as her term expired on October 21. In her farewell post on social media, she gave an overview about the reforms implemented during her tenure, while also highlighting the difficult environment in which she has had to work recently , and in particular highlighted the closed-door meeting at the Ministry of Culture, the likes of which she had “only read about in archives”.
As Sharikadze leaves her post, there is no candidate to take over her position due to the decision of the Minister of Culture, Tea Tsulukiani, to suspend the election of the Rector of the Tbilisi State Conservatoire, scheduled for October 10, 2023. With the election canceled, there are fears that the ministry will appoint its preferred candidate.
Sharikadze describes the meeting on 11 April this year and the period that followed as “the most difficult” for her personally and for the people who attended the meeting with her, and “probably also for those who were used as blind weapons in this war, or allowed themselves to be used voluntarily”. She doesn’t mention what was discussed at the meeting, but emphasizes that she expects many to deny that they ever took part.
She notes that “academic freedom and autonomy remain a challenge” for the Conservatoire and adds that “a reform should really be carried out, but within the system, and it wouldn’t hurt to start from the Ministry of Culture.”
She writes: “I believe that a state which is not spoiled with human resources, such as people with an idea, know-how and selflessness, should not waste them. Because these qualities translate into love and commitment to an idea and a cause (not obedience to a person), and turn a crisis into an opportunity.”
“It is a great honor and responsibility to be the Rector of the only Conservatoire in the country, an institution of higher education with the greatest traditions,” she states in her posts, recalling all the reforms implemented in four years, including the fundamental changes in the Conservatoire’s curriculum harmonize with the European educational space, along with three new educational master’s programs (concertmaster, symphony conducting, traditional music performance) that were blocked by the Ministry of Culture.
In her statement, she expresses her gratitude to all those who have fought with her, openly or secretly, “in this war,” and concludes her statement by saying: “I will remain at the conservatoire as a lecturer and hope to continue my professional activities without interruption”.
Also Read:
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- 21/08/2023 – 200 Georgian Filmmakers Boycott the National Film Center
- 11/08/2023 – Georgian Dream Faction Member Appointed Head of Writers’ House amid Writers’ Protests
- 15/06/2023 – Is Culture Minister Taking Over the Film Center?
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
