LitHiker – 2020

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) hosted a ceremony of awarding the winners of a literary competition LitHiker on July 30. Rector of TSU, George Sharvashidze, Vice Rector Nino Okribelashvili and Ana Sulakauri of Bakur Sulakauri Publishing awarded the winners.

“A very interesting literary competition came to an end. Along with TSU, students from Kutaisi, Telavi, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Gori and Batumi Universities also took part in the competition. I think students had a very interesting task: they had to read the books and write the tests. I would like to congratulate the winners; however, I believe that all contestants are the winners. We have discovered a lot of interesting persons through student competitions and I am sure that the same will happen this time,” Rector George Sharvashidze said.  

TSU student Iakob Makharadze who won the competition and received GEL 500 in cash and a GEL 500 voucher as a prize called on students, especially those loving literature, to participate in the literary competition. “The process itself was very interesting. You will acquire huge knowledge,” he said. 

The literary competition LitHiker enabled book-loving students to travel around the literary world. The purpose of the project is to promote youth literacy and offer more fiction to students in a form of competition. 

Five regional universities joined the project this year. Students from all educational levels were eligible to participate in the competition. Contestants read 10 books selected for the project and wrote the tests specially developed for the completion. 

Levan Gavtadze, the 2nd place winner, received a GEL 300 voucher and Nino Sarishvili, the 3rd place winner – a GEL 150 voucher. In addition, the winners of each round were awarded and they received books as gifts from TSU and Bakur Sulakauri Publishing. 

“Bakur Sulakauri Publishing frequently joins such projects. Let me thank TSU for this proposal. The project is very interesting. I hope that contestants also liked it. We selected diverse books for the competition. I would like to congratulate the winners and all contestants,” Ana Sulakauri, marketing manager at Bakur Sulakauri Publishing, said. 

LitHiker is an annual project and it was held for the fifth time this year. Palitra L Publishing was the project partner since 2014 and Books in Batumi – since 2016. 

In 2020, Bakur Sulakauri Publishing was the project partner and it offered contestants special discounts on books.