Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili reviews troops during the ceremony to celebrate the Independence Day in the Freedom Square in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, on May 26, 2018. Georgia on Saturday celebrated its Independence Day and the 100th anniversary of the creation of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918. (Xinhua/Kulumbegashvili Tamuna)
TBILISI, May 26 (Xinhua) -- Georgia on Saturday celebrated its Independence Day and the 100th anniversary of the creation of the First Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918.
Top officials including the president, prime minister and parliament speaker participated in the grand ceremony at the Freedom Square in downtown Tbilisi to commemorate the country's 100th independence day.
"I congratulate every citizen of Georgia on this important day. From now on, we will move to the new hundred years and will pass it with the same principles and values," said President Giorgi Margvelashvili in his speech at the ceremony.
The president said that the country's goal is to maintain its independence and create a free country, where free citizens will develop their diverse talents and attain achievements for future generations as the ancestors did for the humanity.
At the ceremony, military parade by Georgian troops were reviewed by the president. Military equipment including tanks and missiles were displayed for the public after the ceremony.
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, Armenia President Armen Sarkissian, Slovak President Andrej Kiska, President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite, President of Finland Sauli Niinisto, and Polish President Andrzej Duda attended the ceremony together with the Georgian officials.
The Independence Day also featured a wide range of cultural, educational and entertainment activities all over the country.
Georgia commemorates May 26 of 1918 as its national Independence Day when the country adopted the Act of Independence and established the First Democratic Republic of Georgia.
