What do you remember about 7 August last year?
Friday, August 7
“How do I remember it? It was a big challenge for us, and especially those who were fighting and face to face with death. I was in one of the villages near Tskhinvali and my father and friends were also there. I will never forget those moments; it was as if all your life turns around you. Thank God I did not get many injuries; however my friend, a 23-year old man, was killed on that day.”
Irakli, student, 22
“That was the most terrible day I have ever seen in my life. God save us and preserve us from another aggression. We all want peace.”
Sopho, dentist, 28
“I was not in Georgia, my friends and I were in Turkey for a holiday, we did not even know what was happening here. As soon as we heard we returned, but by then the situation was more stable.”
Giga, bank employee, 26
“That was the last day I was at home in my village. It was the last day I saw my grandfather. We later heard that he had died in the bombing. I miss my village, my home, my relatives very much.”
Natia, IDP, 19
“I remember all of our family were watching TV all day long and we were shocked at how these evil creatures were bombing and killing our people. The situation had always been tense in the Tskhinvali region since the first war but I would never have imagined Gori would be attacked.”
Lali, housewife, 54
“I was going to go out of Tbilisi for the weekend, and I had to cancel my tickets.”
Ia, tour operator, 23
“I remember I sent my son off to the war when they called him up. He was a reservist. The boys were sent to fight in such a big war and some of them even did not even know how to shoot with automatic weapons. Besides all the unhappiness the mobile phones were switched off. I did not sleep all nigh long and next day I decided to go to where my son was but the police would not allow me. Fortunately he returned alive.”
Sergo, lecturer, 60
“Oh, that was the worst birthday I have ever had. 7 August is my birthday but who remembered this? Everyone’s attention was taken by the fighting. I hope it will never happen again. I think that today someone will remember me and wish me a happy birthday, as I did not get any congratulations last year.”
Tamuna, accountant, 35
“I was with my daughter in Kahketi. My husband was in Tbilisi. I still had a hope that the war wouldn’t start. I worried about my family, my friends and my property because war is the worst disaster that can happen.’
Tea, dentist, 35
“I was in Turkey on holiday. When I returned everything was over but I remember those days as the most stressed and tragic in my life. I watched TV and I was shocked.”
Zaqro, IT specialist, 28
“This was a real tragedy. I watched TV; it was late at night when Russian sources announced that the sides were shooting at each other in South Ossetia, I thought this wasn’t true so I changed the channel but Georgian TV channels were saying the same.”
Natia, student, 20
Irakli, student, 22
“That was the most terrible day I have ever seen in my life. God save us and preserve us from another aggression. We all want peace.”
Sopho, dentist, 28
“I was not in Georgia, my friends and I were in Turkey for a holiday, we did not even know what was happening here. As soon as we heard we returned, but by then the situation was more stable.”
Giga, bank employee, 26
“That was the last day I was at home in my village. It was the last day I saw my grandfather. We later heard that he had died in the bombing. I miss my village, my home, my relatives very much.”
Natia, IDP, 19
“I remember all of our family were watching TV all day long and we were shocked at how these evil creatures were bombing and killing our people. The situation had always been tense in the Tskhinvali region since the first war but I would never have imagined Gori would be attacked.”
Lali, housewife, 54
“I was going to go out of Tbilisi for the weekend, and I had to cancel my tickets.”
Ia, tour operator, 23
“I remember I sent my son off to the war when they called him up. He was a reservist. The boys were sent to fight in such a big war and some of them even did not even know how to shoot with automatic weapons. Besides all the unhappiness the mobile phones were switched off. I did not sleep all nigh long and next day I decided to go to where my son was but the police would not allow me. Fortunately he returned alive.”
Sergo, lecturer, 60
“Oh, that was the worst birthday I have ever had. 7 August is my birthday but who remembered this? Everyone’s attention was taken by the fighting. I hope it will never happen again. I think that today someone will remember me and wish me a happy birthday, as I did not get any congratulations last year.”
Tamuna, accountant, 35
“I was with my daughter in Kahketi. My husband was in Tbilisi. I still had a hope that the war wouldn’t start. I worried about my family, my friends and my property because war is the worst disaster that can happen.’
Tea, dentist, 35
“I was in Turkey on holiday. When I returned everything was over but I remember those days as the most stressed and tragic in my life. I watched TV and I was shocked.”
Zaqro, IT specialist, 28
“This was a real tragedy. I watched TV; it was late at night when Russian sources announced that the sides were shooting at each other in South Ossetia, I thought this wasn’t true so I changed the channel but Georgian TV channels were saying the same.”
Natia, student, 20