On August 14, 2024, IDFI representatives and local citizens placed a memorial plaque honoring Gabriel (Gabo) Tsiskarishvili (1892-1924), a member of the Constituent Assembly of the First Republic of Georgia, in the village of Zemo Alvani, Akhmeta Municipality.

Gabriel Tsiskarishvili was born in 1892 in the village of Zemo Alvani, Telavi district, in the Tsova Tushetian community, to a teacher's family. He became a member of the Social-Democratic Workers' Party in 1914, served as the secretary of the board of the Telavi National Assembly, and was a member of the city council (1918-1919). He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly of the First Republic of Georgia (1919-1921) and was the secretary of the self-government and library commissions. In 1921, during the occupation of the Democratic Republic of Georgia by Soviet Russia, he fought as a private soldier on the front against the Russian Red Army, where he was seriously wounded. After recovering, he joined the resistance movement. He was arrested on May 30, 1923, in Tbilisi, on charges of being a counter-revolutionary. He was sentenced to three years of exile in a concentration camp but was kept in the Metekhi prison. After the start of the anti-Soviet uprising on August 28, 1924, Gabo Tsiskarishvili was executed in Tbilisi, likely on the night of August 30.

The placement of the memorial plaque is important for local people to learn more about their history. The square where the plaque was installed is located near the school, so students can learn about the history of their heroic ancestors. The plaque's placement is a symbolic act because, in the mentioned square, there is also a monument to Stalin, originally erected in the 1960s, dismantled in the 2000s, and reinstated in 2012. While a significant portion of the local population views the Stalin monument negatively, the issue remains contentious.

Residents of Zemo Alvani gathered for the unveiling of the memorial plaque, where representatives of IDFI and local activists spoke about the importance of such commemorative events in shaping national memory and educating future generations. This is especially significant considering that modern Georgian historical memory is still heavily influenced by Soviet propaganda narratives, which portrayed the events and heroes of 100 years ago in a negative light.

In the city of Akhmeta, IDFI also installed an informational banner depicting the heroes of the 1924 uprising.

One hundred years ago, a national uprising was organized in Georgia against the Bolshevik regime, led by military and political figures such as Kaikhosro (Kakutsa) Cholokashvili, Aleksandre Sulkhanishvili, and Gabo Tsiskarishvili. All three were born in villages within the modern Akhmeta municipality: Kakutsa Cholokashvili in Matani, Aleksandre Sulkhanishvili in Atskuri, and Gabo Tsiskarishvili in Zemo Alvani. In addition to them, many other locals participated in the 1924 rebellion.

The informational banner includes a QR code that provides an access to the complete calendar of the 1924 rebellion.

IDFI plans to commemorate this important date with additional symbolic events and informational materials throughout August.

---

The event was implemented with the financial support of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The responsibility for the content lies entirely with the creator. Sida does not necessarily share the views and interpretations expressed.