Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia congratulates teachers on World Teachers Day.

“Today, as we celebrate the Day of Teachers globally, I would like to take this opportunity to pay my respect to the teachers of Georgia, who have been forced to work under unusually difficult circumstances lately due to the COVID pandemic, and to wish you all a good academic year!

I trust that the recent re-opening of schools will allow you all an easier and more enjoyable task in carrying out your important profession.

I am confident that most of you have been able to adapt to the new realities thanks to remote learning and new digital tools, but no technology can substitute for the physical learning environment of a classroom.

In your role as educators, you will have found that new times bring new challenges. Today and in the future, you are facing students brought up in the digital era. The internet, digital media and social networks have brought great educational benefits and helped building bridges across the global community. At the same time, they have also accentuated the phenomenon of disinformation and hate speech, making a topic like media literacy more important than ever.

Here in Georgia, the European Union is equipping teachers with new tools and training to enable them to pass this knowledge on to young learners. A core group of 335 teachers have already been trained and there is more to come.

Dear teachers,

Let me finish by saying that it is a great honour for me to address you all on this day, and extend my deep appreciation for the crucial work you are doing in fostering the next generation of Georgian citizens. Didi madloba!”, - said Carl Hartzell.