Zurabishvili: With cultural routes, we can show Georgia to Europe
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, May 30
The President of Georgia attended the event organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport - Cultural Routes - Georgia and Europe and addressed the guests late on May 29.
Zurabishvili emphasized the importance of Georgia's integration into Europe when talking about cultural routes.
“We will get into Europe, and no one can stop us on this way,” she said.
The President noted that these cultural routes are a fascinating tool that will show Europe what Georgia is.
“Europeans will see that Georgia is Europe. These routes are important both in terms of culture and tourism as well as from economic and regional perspectives. These routes will be discoveries in our region because it is a direct and right development of this area,” she said.
“The important part of these routes should be archeology, traditions, religion. Also, many people are interested in the routes of pilgrims in Europe today, including me. I will go through the way of St. Nino on June 1,” she added.
According to her, it is essential that Georgia and namely Kutaisi hosts the 11th Forum of Cultural Tours of the Council of Europe.
In 2016 Georgia became 27th Member State of the Enlarged Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes. The agreement reinforces the member states to participate in the Council of Europe Cultural Routes Program and to implement the guidelines of the agreement.
In response to this, Board on Strategic Development and Certification of Cultural Routes of Georgia was established as a multidisciplinary, advisory body of the Ministry of Culture, which supports the participation of Georgia in Council of Europe Cultural Routes Program and also, the development of local cultural routes. There are representatives of different Governing bodies in the board.
Cultural Routes of Georgia supports the promotion and popularization of Georgia’s historical and cultural values, as well as the creation of new initiatives and innovative projects in the field of culture and cultural tourism.
Moreover, the aim of the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia and the National Board is to collect the scattered information about existing cultural routes, also to support the development of new cultural routes and to raise the interest to get involved in international cultural courses, such as Council of Europe Cultural Routes.
Georgia is actively cooperating with some of Council of Europe Certified Cultural Routes, such as 'Iter Vitis,' 'The European Route of Jewish Heritage,' 'European Route of Historical Thermal Towns' and 'Prehistoric Rock Art Trails.'
