On June 6 a meeting of the Academic Council of the Georgian Technical University was held, which was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Georgia, Andrius Kalindra.  The Aacademic Council, at the proposal of the Rector of Georgian Technical University, Davit Gurgenidze, made a decision to name the Lithuanian Language and Culture Center at Georgian Technical University, after the founder and long-time leader of the Center, who passed away in May of this year, Professor Vidas Kavaliauskas.

The academic community of the university in evaluating Prof. Kavaliauskas' activities and contribution to the development of bilateral relations in the fields of education and science also awarded the professor posthumously, the highest award of the university - the gold medal. The Rector of the University, academician Davit Gurgenidze, pointed out that the death of Professor Kavaliauskas is a great loss not only for the Lithuanian Language and Culture Center, but the University as a whole. Thanks to the work of the Lithuanian Language and Culture Center, more than 300 students from Georgia had the opportunity to learn the Lithuanian language for free, and some of them, having mastered the language, were able to continue their studies in Lithuanian higher education institutions. "Lithuanian Language and Culture Center and its long-time manager Prof. Kavaliauskas' activities contributed significantly to the strengthening of bilateral academic exchanges. The Technical University will continue to fully support the activities of the center, thanks to which friendship ties between Lithuania and Georgia are strengthened", said the Rector of the University.

Addressing the members of the academic council, Ambassador Andrius Kalindra thanked the Rector and the academic community of the University for their continuous support to the Lithuanian Language and Culture Center and the decisions taken to give the center a new name in honor of the professor's memory. "Youth exchange, getting to know the cultures, language and traditions of the two countries is the best investment in the future of relations between Lithuania and Georgia as well as the common European future," the Ambassador noted in his speech.The only Lithuanian language and culture center operating in the South Caucasus states was established in Georgian Technical University in 2012. The activity of the center in Tbilisi is supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania.