Defending Language, Identity, and Rights

Defending Language, Identity, and Rights

The Language We Fight For: The Ongoing Battle for Georgia’s Identity

On April 14, 1978, thousands of Georgians gathered on Rustaveli Avenue to defend their language, the heart of national identity and self-determination, against Soviet authorities. Their courage proved that even in the face of repression, unity can protect what defines a nation.

A Struggle That Continues

Today, that same struggle continues in the occupied territories, where de facto authorities have banned Georgian-language education, enforcing assimilation and silencing a generation.

According to reports from the OSCE, Human Rights Watch, and Georgian civil society, since 2021 all Georgian-language instruction in Gali schools has been abolished. Teachers have been dismissed, textbooks removed, and children are now forced to study entirely in Russian. Backed by Russian influence, this policy violates the right to education and cultural identity, as recognized by the European Court of Human Rights.

Road to Home: Empowering a Generation

Since 2017, under Luka Gurtskaia’s leadership, Road to Home has empowered displaced and conflict-affected youth to speak out, organizing annual April 14 events in 12 schools and 8 universities across Georgia. Through research, dialogue, and international collaboration, we help young people connect history’s lessons with today’s realities and advocate for linguistic and cultural rights. We also share investigations from international organizations and present ongoing issues from the occupied territories, ensuring that youth understand the truth of what our citizens are experiencing to defend their identity and heritage.

The Legacy Lives On

The courage of 1978 lives on in a new generation that refuses to be silenced. Their unity is proof that language is more than words - it is memory, identity, and resistance. And their determination reminds us that freedom, dignity, and human rights are never granted, they must be defended every single day.


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