The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili decorated Oleg Basilashvili with the Presidential Order of Excellence for his contribution to the development of Arts. Mikheil Saakashvili toured the prominent actor around the Presidential Palace.   

"I think it is impossible to overestimate what you did during your public activities for improvement of the relations between our peoples and for bringing them closer to each other. You did this not only because you have a Georgian name, especially at the time when many other public figures did a lot to hold this people away. Not only we think this way - this will be properly estimated by the History as well. Nations have different periods, different, almost insoluble problems, but whatever happens, we must not lose each other. It is great honor for us to pass to you the Presidential Order of Excellence for your huge contribution to the development of Arts and at the same time for the special contribution to the relations between our peoples, also, as a gratitude of the people of Georgia that must not forget those who held a civil position and took the side of friendship and truth", stated the President of Georgia.      

"I want to say just one thing - what is going on now, is absolutely unexpected for me and it is great happiness. What can I tell you? My Father and Grandfather were from here, my uterine brother was Georgian. He is a fallen hero. In the years of 41-43 Georgia sheltered my Mother, my Grandmother and me - the Tbilisi University gave us a small room, but we lived well - as everybody, we were starving and what made happy others, made happy us. For us and for you, for everybody, Georgia is more than a fraternal nation. We have many fraternal nations but we are interconnected with what the President spoke about and it is impossible in any way to break this connection. I think all of us understand this well. I'll recollect the words of Lykhachov, who was writing a declaration of culture and finished it with the words: "Existence of political systems, even states, loses any sense if they exist beyond culture". This words may seem impudent, but it is this way, since the only thing remains in the memory of the mankind is what hearts of far countries and persons created. This is what brings peoples closer to each other, what causes our hearts to beat as one. I am happy to congratulate you with this great holiday and another thing that makes me happy is that the festival is going on that may contribute at least a little bit to the effort of bringing us closer to each other. I have a great hope that our political leaders will use all efforts to make our relations as fraternal, friendly and warm as they used to be in the past", noted Oleg Basilashvili and finished his speech with the lines of a poem of Vladimir Mayakovsky:  Лишь только нога вступила в Кавказ, я вспомнил что я грузин!  

Cultural workers and public figures of Georgia attended the ceremony of decoration of Oleg Basilashvili.