Visit of Professor Helga Kotthoff to the Peace Cathedral

     On Sunday, 12th October, the Peace Cathedral had the honour of welcoming German Professor Helga Kotthoff and her friend Gana from Mongolia.

     Professor Kotthoff joined the congregation for the Sunday liturgy, where she was warmly received and later addressed those gathered with words of reflection and encouragement. Following the service, she was given a guided tour of the Peace Cathedral and its interfaith peace projects by Nana Saralishvili, the Cathedral’s Communications Officer.

     Professor Helga Kotthoff, a distinguished German scholar from the University of Freiburg, is renowned for her research in the fields of conversation analysis, humour, gender studies, and irony. Her extensive body of work has appeared in a number of leading academic journals, including Journal of Pragmatics, Humor, Pragmatics, and Zeitschrift für Germanistische Linguistik (Journal of German Linguistics).

     In addition to her other academic achievements, Professor Kotthoff has devoted more than three decades to studying Georgian traditions, including the supra (traditional feast), the art of toasting, and the customs of mourning and remembrance.

     During her visit, the Peace Cathedral took the opportunity to express heartfelt gratitude for Professor Kotthoff’s enduring commitment to and deep appreciation of Georgian culture. Her long-standing friendship with Georgia and her scholarly contributions remain a source of inspiration to all who value the dialogue between cultures and the pursuit of peace.