The interdisciplinary lecture course "Georgia from the beginnings to the Middle Ages" continues at the University of Bern
On October 9, 2023, the 3rd lecture of the Georgian studies semester "Georgia from the beginnings to the Middle Ages" was held at the University of Bern, which was dedicated to the history of Georgian writing and the Georgian alphabet.
The lecture was led by Dr. Manana Topadze Gäumann, a lecturer of the Universities of Bern and Fribourg. Dr. Topadze Gäumann told the students about the Georgian script, which has undergone a long evolution and which had to deal with the challenges of different epochs; the Georgian script was formed as a unity of three writing systems, each with independent characteristics, as well as distinct cultural and social functions.
Furthermore, Mrs. Topadze Gäumann spoke of the different development stages of the Georgian alphabet which is still practiced, introduced the students to pre-Christian examples of the Georgian script and ancient epigraphic monuments.
Dr. Manana Topadze Gäumann teaches ancient Georgian language to the students of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Fribourg, and the modern Georgian language at the Institute of Linguistics of the University of Bern. Among her translations in Italian language is Ilia Chavchavadze's "Traveler's Letters".
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the Confederation of Switzerland, H. E. Revaz Lominadze, attended the lecture.
The interdisciplinary course is a joint unique project of the Embassy of Georgia to the Swiss Confederation, the Humanities Faculties of the Universities of Bern and Fribourg, within the framework of which Georgian and foreign professors and lecturers give lectures on Georgian history, culture, archeology, art, Georgian language and writing, Georgian chants, folklore and polyphony.
The next lecture will be held on Monday, October 16 at 2:15 pm at the University of Bern at the following address: UniS, Schanzeneckstrasse 1, 3012 Bern, auditorium A-122. "Georgian Vocal Music on the Way of Notation" will be the topic of the lecture, which will be held by the Swiss musicologist, Dr.h.c. Thomas Häusermann.
