Humanity has long agreed that historical memory is a driving force in shaping the future of society and plays a major role in its development. George Orwell said, "Who controls the past controls the future" and this phrase probably best describes the centuries-old behavior of Georgia's most intelligent invader, Russia, toward the Georgian nation. The conqueror declared an ideological war against Georgia's past and its historical memory, understanding from the very first day of the occupation that a free, thinking society would never accept its rule and would always desire to resist.

When the Soviet army conquered the Democratic Republic of Georgia, they first attempted to discredit and erase the memories of three years of independence from the collective consciousness. However, to this day, the period of 1918-1921 remains the best example of the formation of Georgian statehood. Unlike many Western states at the time, Georgia had a value-based constitution and a functioning National Council, where women also participated in lawmaking. At that time, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Georgia appeared as a relatively progressive state of the map of Europe.

Of course, such a model was completely incompatible with the Russian Soviet occupation. That is why, through propaganda, myths, and violence, the Kremlin announced a fierce and merciless battle against the pro-Western thinking of the time. The methods of the communist ideological struggle proved so strong that, no matter how unfortunate it sounds, even after 100 years, their remnants and modernized techniques remain one of the main hindrances to Georgia's progress.

Yes, it is significant that even after a century, Georgia has not completely severed its historical connection with the events of 100 years ago. This feeling was especially vivid on September 27 in Washington, DC, where the US-based "Georgian Association" hosted an event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 1924 anti-Soviet national uprising at the "Memorial Museum of the Victims of Communism." The name of the event was titled:"An Unbroken Spirit: A Century After the Georgian Uprising of 1924."

As the organizers mentioned, the name and date of the event were not chosen by chance. The year 1924 is indeed a crucial date in Georgian history, marking a time when the entire country revolted against the Soviet occupation forces, and the Bolsheviks responded with a mass massacre. The speakers at the event, Giorgi Kandelaki and Irakli Khvadagiani, representatives of the "Soviet Past Research Laboratory," reminded the audience in detail of the events of that time. They emphasized once again the indomitable spirit of the Georgian nation's struggle for freedom and disobedience to the occupier, which preceded the 1924 uprising. The discussion of the phenomenon of the cult of Stalin, which Russia is actively trying to revive in Georgia, was particularly significant. 

Among the speakers was Stephen Jones, the head of the "Harvard Davis Center Georgian Studies Program," who spoke about the centuries-old struggle that led Georgia to independence. He also stated that "the struggle against imperial occupation is still an ongoing and active challenge for Georgians."

As part of the event, a documentary exhibition was organized that no one could ignore - informational banners told the stories of those heroes who sacrificed themselves for the idea of Georgian statehood. More than a hundred Georgian and American guests attended the event held in Washington,  including researchers, diplomats, and representatives of official agencies. 

The evening concluded with a musical performance dedicated to the memory of the day of the fall of Sokhumi and the war in Ukraine.