We will enter the European Union together, it will definitely happen, this is the only real prospect for our country, President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, addressed the representatives of the ethnic minority living in Georgia, whose reception is being held in the Orbeliani Palace within the framework of the campaign - "Our Voice for Europe".

In her welcoming speech, President Salome Zurabishvili focused on the importance of tolerance and noted that tolerance has always been a hallmark of Georgia and the Caucasus.

"I am glad to have you here. I thought it was and is very important that this campaign - "Our Voice for Europe", which will end on December 15, was a complete campaign that included citizens of all origins in Georgia. Europe is citizenship. A citizen does not have a nationality, or rather a citizen has an ethnic origin, religious beliefs, roots and is a complete citizen in every way with all these features. Everyone should have the opportunity to succeed and live completely in a European-type state. Georgia has always provided this opportunity and is still providing it today. With this, Georgia was European and will be European. In the culture of Georgia, this value has always been very important, that everyone should have the opportunity to preserve and develop their identity, their language, their beliefs. With this, we, together with you, and you together with us, send our voice to Europe that this is the foundation on which we want the future state to be built. We will enter the European Union together, it will happen, this is the only real prospect for our country to develop peacefully and receive all the prosperity that Europe brings. First, let's get the freedom and strengthen the freedom that will allow all of us individually to be even more successful. I want to wish you all to live in the Georgia of tomorrow.

Also, I want to congratulate you all today. A day of being here together. Hanukkah begins today, and to those of the Jewish faith here, I want to congratulate them on this holiday. I also want to congratulate Yezidis on the upcoming holiday. Soon it is Catholic Christmas and then Orthodox Christmas, I want to congratulate you. I also want to congratulate you on all the holidays that we celebrate together. Living together means we not only respect each other, but also celebrate together and mourn together when it's time to mourn. I would also like to mention that this day is a difficult day for Armenians. The Spitak earthquake occurred 35 years ago. We cannot forget this, because it is our neighboring country, citizens of Armenian origin live here. They remember this day very hard and we also remember it hard with them.

I would like to wish you all a very enjoyable evening that will be a celebration of the tolerance that is our hallmark, which is and was a sign of the Caucasus and which will be our characteristic sign in the European Caucasus in the future," said Salome Zurabishvili.