Dato Turashvili: Freedom Factory Will Help to Create a Free Society

An initiative group presented the idea and platform ‘Freedom Factory,’ where organizers discussed several important projects and noted that the "distribution" of the idea of freedom would begin by the end of the year.

In a word, a space will be created in Tbilisi, on the territory of Wine Factory #1 on Petriashvili Street, that will be a completely new and innovative, cultural platform for new discoveries, creators and interesting people, adventurers and those who love learning, leisure and entertainment..

"Freedom Factory is for those for whom freedom matters,” writer Dato Turashvili noted at the presentation.

“I like the idea of the Freedom Factory,” he said. “Sandro Kakulia came up with it. The Freedom Factory, like all factories on earth, must create; produce something. The clever function of the Freedom Factory will be to create free Men. This will be an open society, absolutely free. In itself, the words Freedom Factory makes this space exist in this principle. David Sarajishvili was the greatest Maecenas. Almost everyone who received an education in the 19th century and created 20th century Georgia, was funded by David. The only one he didn’t fund was Vano Sarajishvili, only because his surname was Sarajishvili. He didn't want anyone to think it was nepotism. David's name is related to the house at Machabeli. We are accustomed to the fact that the Writers Union was there for 70 years, even before the Writers' Union was established in 1917, but functionally later became a Soviet structure. In fact, David Sarajishvili's dream was to create a space not only for writers but for all artists. There is already a tradition at the Writers' House, a place associated with literature, writers and poets. So the idea of setting up a ‘Freedom Factory’ is really very good. It will be a space where not only writers and poets visit, but also everybody for whom freedom is a priority. Any representative of any field, any artist will be welcome here!”

At the presentation, Turashvili recalled many fragments of Georgian history and spoke about the importance of freedom. As he says, "There Is No Freedom Where There Is No Justice"

"Unfortunately, it happened that for objective or subjective reasons, we could not create such a free society," Turashvili said, adding that although the country regained its independence it was much more difficult to return the freedom. “We got back independence but freedom was much more difficult. There Is No Freedom Where There Is No Justice. Until we have an independent court, the court cannot be fair. This is out of the question."

There will be a lecture room at the Freedom Factory where a person can come and leave freer than they were before. “Of course, not all educated people are free. Education is the key to being freer than we are," the writer noted.

The Freedom Factory will contribute to the creation of a free society, for which three key principles will be uniquely important: judicial independence, free and democratic elections, and a tradition of ownership.

"Unfortunately, we haven't been free for so many centuries, we have been conquered for so long that the most important fundamental has been eluded and we were starting out. I want our Freedom Factory to be the greatest source of free society that will not allow what has been repeated many times. We passed the fate of our country on to others, assuming they would take care of it. And it didn't turn out so well,” Turashvili said.

The presentation also revealed that Tbilisi will soon be adding a wine museum. Sandro Kakulia, co-founder of Freedom Factory, said that Georgia, a country with a centuries-old wine history, will soon have a wine museum.

“Tbilisi, our capital, cradle of wine, with hundreds of millennia of history, unfortunately does not have a wine or vine museum. The Wine Museum is an important project we are working on today,” said Kakulia.

Goga Kalandadze, one of the owners of Wine Factory #1, together with his partner Zaza Dudauri, presented to the public the place where the wine museum will be located.

“I have opened the first ideas of a wine museum with my partner Zaza Dudauri. Wine is Georgia’s favorite and most beloved product; something which has preserved our identity,” he said.

“Freedom is the foremost thing that a person has, which can either be taken away or granted. Freedom is an infinite notion that the more one tries to feel, to understand its essence, the more it is eluded. Freedom doesn't close anything, it doesn't start anything, it doesn't end anything. Freedom is also that a person is born, freedom is that he/she dies ... 'Freedom Factory' is for this and for those who aspire to it - to be free,” said writer Besik Kharanauli at the launch.

The Freedom Factory Initiative Group invites all free and libertarian people for whom the fight for civil liberties are essential and who agree with and share the content of these principles. Anyone who has interesting and creative ideas, works or inventions and wants to receive knowledge or share their experiences with others is invited to realize themselves in a free environment, anyone who can put at least one brick in the building of freedom.

By Mariam Diasamidze