Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili extended her greeting to citizens by 'making them listen to our children's voices instead of extending traditional New Year wishes.'
''I'm Mari, 9. I have two brothers, and we are socially vulnerable. I've never asked for anything in my life. Now I'm asking you to bring me the New Year's tree. If you can make me happy, I will be glad. If you cannot, anything you do for me will make me happy,'' said the nine-year-old.
''Hello. I'm Vako, 7. I have a little sister. We are IDPs and socially vulnerable. I ask you, kind people, to make our wishes come true. I trust you, and I will wait for you. I believe you will make my wish come true,'' said another from the Gori city.
''I'm Nini and will turn five on 5 March. I'm an IDP. I want Santa Claus to bring me a kitchen. I had the same wish last year,'' says the five-year-old from Gori.
''I don't know if you can make us happy, but I hope so. I'm Ako, 11. I have a four-year-old brother and a one-year and six-month-old sister. We are socially disadvantaged living near the occupation line. Everything you can do for us will make us happy. We are waiting for you impatiently,'' says Ako from the Dirbi village.
''I'm Ana, 11, socially vulnerable. I want Santa Claus to make me happy by bringing me a tablet computer. Mum cannot buy it. I have two siblings, a brother and a sister. We are destitute, as we spend a lot on his treatment,'' Ana from the Kitsnisi village.
''I'm Datuna, 8. We are socially disadvantaged. I want you to bring me a phone as my computer broke down, and I cannot attend online classes. I want to learn like my peers,'' Datuna from the Kveshi village.
We made these children's wishes come true, but many others' wishes have been left unfulfilled. As Ilia said, the country is on the edge of an abyss, and they have just to push us a little bit for us to fall into it.
However, Ilia was concerned about people's ignorance, laziness, and purposelessness, while we are now in the worse situation: we have lost each other. We are pushing and shoving each other into that abyss. We do not even need an enemy to do so; we are doing the enemy's job. We hold a grudge, are jealous; we are moved by short-term plans and short visions. However, we have long-term and groundless ambitions! Now I am marshaling my efforts and will do so while in office to assist us in finding a path to each other and helping us listen to each other, talk, and succeed in saving our country. Our task now is to achieve national reconciliation for the country's future,'' the president declared.
