“Contemporary Issues of Literary Criticism”.

Symposium, held in Ilia Chavchavadze National library, was opened by acting director of Shota Rusatveli Institute of Georgian Literature, professor Irma Ratiani. The audience was welcomed by Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Bela Tsipuria and the Rector of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, George Khubua.

At the plenary session presentations were made by professor of the college of Judea and Samaria Ruban Enuk and the professor of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Mariam Chkhartishvili.

From April 3 to April 5 work of the sections of The International Symposium was presented simultaneously in Shota Rustaveli Institute of Georgian Literature (in concert hall and meeting room) as well as in Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, I building(auditorium103)

5 sections operated at the Symposium: Medieval studies; Form, narrative, beauty; Contemporary literary processes; Intercultural communications; Myth, ritual, symbol; Following topics were discussed: “Division of the history of literature” and “Postmodernism”.

79 reporters participated in the symposium from different Georgian Universities (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University, Sokhumi branch of Ivane Javakhishvili State University, Ilia Chavchavadze State University, Georgian Technical University , Sighnaghi branch of Tbilisi State University, Black Sea University and Metekhi University) and Scientific-Research Institutes(The Shota Rustaveli University of Georgian Literature, Giorgi Tsereteli Institute of Oriental science, Korneli Kekelidze Institute of Manuskripts) as well as from Jerusalem, St.Petersburg, Baku, Yerevan, The US,(several Universities), Warsaw and Grand Universities.

The closing ceremony of symposium was held at the concert hall of Shota Rustaveli University of Georgian Literature. 1st International Symposium programmes and theses were published. (In Georgian, English and Russian). Georgian Institute of Literature intends to publish Georgian materials of the presentations in two volumes. The English version of the presentations will be printed in the internet magazine “LITINFO”.

Special cultural programme was organized for foreign participants. They visited museums, Tbilisi and Mtskheta sights. Concert was held in Tbilisi Youth Palace specially for them.

According to the organizational committee this symposium will become annual.