The national history of Georgia is full of powerful female figures and I carry the name of one of them with great honor.

Maia Tskneteli (translated as Maia from Tskneti) used to be an ordinary young woman in late 18th-century Georgia. After being assaulted by her master, she decided to dress as a young man, join the King’s palace service and fight for justice. According to the tellings, she managed to free a lot of youngsters that had been readied to be sold to the Kizilbash and Persian slavery and in the end, died too young in the war against the Persian invasion, but this time – dressed as a woman.

Even to this day, Maia is a true icon and a reflection of Georgian women’s strength and bravery. A monument, depicting her as a warrior on a war horse is to be found, naturally in the place of her origin – Tskneti.

I don’t know about you, but every time I walk by her monument, I am reminded of how proud I should be to call myself a Georgian woman named Maia.