TİKA Renovated the Duisi Mosque in Georgia

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) restored the Duisi Mosque, which is located in Kakheti, Georgia, and had not been renovated since 1901, and opened the mosque for worship.

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) restored the Duisi Mosque, which is located in the city of Akhmeta in Kakheti, Georgia, and had not been renovated since 1901.

The opening ceremony of the mosque was attended by Fatma Ceren Yazgan, the Republic of Turkey’s Ambassador to Tbilisi; Irakli Shioshvili, Governor of Kakheti; Necla Demirdağ, TİKA’s Tbilisi Coordinator; Ahmet Erdem, Religious Advisor in Tbilisi; Etibar Eminov, Mufti of Eastern Georgia at the Administration of Muslims of All Georgia; and local people.

In her speech at the ceremony, Ambassador Yazgan stated that the relations between Turkey and Georgia were good in the field of religion, as in every other field, and that she was happy that the Duisi Mosque was restored and opened for worship by Turkey and TİKA.

Necla Demirdağ delivered a speech after the opening and said, “We enabled all Muslims of different ethnic backgrounds living in Georgia to worship together freely and more comfortably in unity and solidarity. Now, we are in the village of Duisi in the Pankisi Valley, where Muslim Chechens make up the majority of the population. The Duisi Mosque was built in 1901 but had not been renovated since then. Upon the request of the Administration of Muslims of All Georgia, we implemented a project for the restoration and landscaping of the 120-year-old Duisi Mosque and the construction of two mixed-use buildings in order to enable the villagers to gather on special occasions, on religious holidays, and at ceremonies.”

“I would like to thank Turkey”

Expressing his condolences to Turkey for those who lost their lives in the recent large-scale wildfires in Turkey, Governor Shioshvili said, “Today, we are here in the village of Duisi in Akhmeta Municipality. Here, the Duisi Mosque was restored. I am very pleased with this step and would like to express my deep gratitude to TİKA for their special contribution to this project. This agency implements many projects in Kakheti. I would like to thank the Turkish Ambassador for her visit to Akhmeta Municipality and for her contribution. In addition, I extend my deepest condolences to Turkey for those who lost their lives in the recent large-scale wildfires in Turkey. Lastly, I would like to thank TİKA for their general contribution to projects. The Agency takes part in important projects for the welfare of our citizens.”

In his speech, Mufti Eminov said, “Even though we are saddened by the wildfires in Turkey, a sister country, we are happy to gather here at the opening ceremony of the mosque in the village of Duisi after the general renovation. I had been to this mosque several times, and it was very neglected. TİKA undertook and implemented the project upon our request. I hope that the project will be useful for our state, country, and nation and will bring good luck.”