Tbilisi. NGOs address to the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia and the National Agency of the Cultural Protection of Georgia. "On December 12, 2014, the Ministry and the National Agency have issued the decrees, resulting in the renewal of the mining works by the "RMG Gold” in Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani. ...Despite the fact that there is a high public interest towards the above issue, neither the Ministry, nor the Agency have publicized any official information on their web-sites, which would have given the stakeholders a possibility to obtain complete and comprehensive information on the issue". For the full text Source: gyla.ge  

Tbilisi. Two films of "Go Group Media", "Girls Have to Say" and the "War Generation" are nominated at the Viewster Festival. At the international festival, viewers will reveal ten best films by voting. Any interested person can vote until November 27. Voting Source: gogroupmedia.net

Tbilisi. The Shota Rustaveli Academic Theatre will host a charity concert of the "Sukhishvilebi" Ensemble on December 3, dedicated to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The charity concert will be presented by the Tengiz Sukhishvili Charity Foundation, the Shota Rustaveli Academic Theatre and CSO "First Step Georgia". Raised funds will be fully transferred to the charity organization "First Step Georgia" and will be fully spent on children with serious and severe disabilities from socially unprotected families involved in the Home Care Program. Tickets are sold in the Rustaveli Theatre ticket booth and at www.biletebi.ge. Source: the organization's page in the social network.  

Tbilisi. ICOMOS Georgia has released the national policy document on cultural heritage of Georgia, developed as part of the project funded by the EU's Eastern Partnership Culture Program. The document. Source: www.rcchd.icomos.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Ministry of Culture has hosted on November 4 the presentation and discussion of the draft National Document on Cultural Heritage Policy of Georgia developed by ICOMOS Georgia. Source: the Civil Society Platform.

Tbilisi. Association "Anika" has organized a photo exhibition on October 31, hosted by "Anika Room". "Don't Compare" is the title of exhibition, in which persons with disabilities are pictured with their peers. Anika Room will host the exhibition for another week. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The US Embassy will allocate extra 50,000 USD to preserve the Gelati Monastery. The Embassy has released the news in the social network. This amount will be spent on conservation of mosaics in the Virgin Mary Church. The project is funded as part of the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). Source: the Embassy's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Union of Georgian Armenians has organized on October 11 a charity exhibition-sale of works by members of CSO "Anika" - "Let's Hold Our Hands Together". Paintings and the felt and enamel works by members of "Anika" were presented at the exhibition

Tbilisi. The organization "Young Barristers” will prepare the research on the legal issues of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument. "There still continues discussions in the society regarding the issue of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument, however, the issue should be evaluated legally. It is essential, that the society get acquainted broadly with the legal aspect of the issue". The "Young Barristers” will publish the results of the research on legal issues of Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani monument status in November. For the full text Source: barristers.ge  

Kakheti. The two-day festival of the documentaries - "Open Space for Free Thinking" has ended in Gurjaani. Kakheti has hosted an international festival of documentaries for the fifth time.CSO "Media Center Kakheti" has organized the festival this time as well. As part of the festival, the building of the Gurjaani Musical School has hosted a photo exhibition titled "Old Gurjaani", as well as screening of documentaries and discussions. International film festival was organized with financial support of the Heinrich Boll Foundation.According to the organizers of the festival, one of the objectives of the festival is to promote public discussions.

Tbilisi. CSO "Tiflis Hamqar" has released a statement in the social network. "On October 1, another meeting was organized by the Tbilisi Development Fund in the Cultural Heritage Agency over the Gudiashvili Square.It was unexpected that at the meeting they have proposed to examine non-professional designs produced by two architects (Manuchar Makhatadze, Gogi Sulaberidze), which are rejected by "Tiflis Hamqar" and part of the society since 2007.Given the above-mentioned, "Tiflis Hamqar" decided to leave the current format of negotiations and demands the fulfillment of terms of memorandum executed between our organization and Davit Narmania.Should the Gudiashvili-related process still develop in a wrong direction, "Tiflis Hamqar" will renew the movement to protect Gudiashvili Square", says the social network. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The exhibition of works of the Ukrainian painter Sergey Ponuchenyuk was opened on September 23 in the open gallery of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Sergey's works are created with unique and innovative method - his painting is perceived by the use of listening and tactile methods.Musicians with visual impairments from the Cultural Center of the Georgian Blinds' Union have opened the exhibition, which will continue in the open gallery until September 25.On September 27 the exposition will move to Kutaisi, while on September 29 the exhibition will be hosted by the Batumi Summer Theatre. Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The EU Delegation to Georgia launches one of the most large-scale cultural weeks. It will open on September 25 and last until October 5 in the three cities of Georgia: Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Poti. The "EU Cultural Week – 2014" aims to demonstrate European values by sharing experience in various fields of art and organizing diverse cultural events. As part of the festival, discussions with the Georgian writers, concerts, movie screenings, theatre plays, exhibitions, street art performances, etc. will be organized. For the full text. Source: the web page of "Let's Meet Europe" in the social network.

Tbilisi. On September 15 a discussion: "Civil Activism on Sakdrisi Example” was held with initiative of German Association of Public Universities (DVV International). The meeting was attended by representatives of public organizations and media as well as other interested persons. The discussion was held too.The participants discussed various important issues and aspects related to Sakdrisi, also future perspectives. The world practice was talked about as well. Source: "Sakdrisi – Memorial of World Importance” page in the social network          

Kakheti. "Civic Initiative” is announcing receiving applicants to participate in an exhibition. The exhibition will be held within framework of "Kizikian Fall 2014”, open air, in the central park area in Tsnori. All age-category artists living in Signagi Municipality have got possibility to take part in the exhibition and represent painting performed in any style and theme.Exhibition participants shall make registration until September 23. For the full text Source: Organization web-site in social network          

Kakheti. In Civic Engagement Centre of Telavi a discussion – "Who killed Ilia? 107 years since Ilia’s murder” was held. The event was dedicated to memory of Ilia Chavchavadze. The meeting was attended by professors of Telavi University, historians, philologists, school and University students, representatives of non-governmental organizations, local youth organizations, initiative groups, educational institutes, also department of youth affairs of self-government and journalists.The meeting was held by Tengiz Simashvili, the professor and researcher and historian of Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University.     

The Cinema Express: Armenia-Georgia film festival started on September 5, 2014 in Gyumri (Armenia). During September-October Films by Tinatin Kajrishvili, Jivan Avetisyan, Lusine Sargsyan, Zaza Urushadze, Hrant Vardanyan, Diana Kardumyan, Oksana Mirzoyan, Rusudan Chkonia and Alexander Baghdasaryan will be screened in Yerevan, Gyumri, Amasya, Vanadzor, Alaverdi in Armenia, and Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, Akhaltsikhe, Borjomi and Tbilisi in Georgia. The Cinema Express: Armenia-Georgia is the cross-border project initiated by the Golden Apricot Fund for Cinema Development and Tbilisi International Film Festival. The project is realised in cooperation with the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation and supported by Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia. The goal of the project is to employ culture (and especially the cinema) as an effective medium for intercultural dialogue, good-neighborhood and rapprochement between Armenia and Georgia. For the full text Source: Heinrich Böll Stiftung  

Adjara. The event "Batumi Yard Stories" was held on August 29, 30 and 31. This cultural-arts initiative was organized for the third time. It is distinguished by the fact that along with artists, the residents of streets and yards, in whose streets the project is being implemented, also participate in it. Two such streets were used this year - Kutaisi and Sayatnova.The idea and goal of the "Batumi Yard Stories" is to make contemporary arts more accessible to the society, and by transferring from the traditional space to a public space, to bring contemporary arts to a broad public. The project is supported by the Adjara Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, while its partners are the Independent Journalists' House and the "Press Cafe".

Kakheti. CSO "Green Academy" and the Department for Education, Culture, Monument Protection, Sports and Youth Affairs of the Sighnaghi Municipality Gamgeoba will organize in the Sighnaghi Municipality a tourist path from the village ZemoBodbe to the St. Nino Monastery. A tourist route will include the territories of the BodbeArcheopolis-Late Afternoon, Virgin Mary's Church - Bodbe Monastery. The tourist path project is being implemented with funding from the "Community Development Center". For the full text (geo) Source: signagi.info

Adjara. CSO "Micro-Phone" has presented a project on August 19. "Batumi Yard Stories" – a modern conceptual project is held in Batumi for the third time. This year, Polish, Ukrainian and Japanese painters together with Georgian artists will create in the Kutaisi and Saiatnova Streets pieces of art on the history, traditions and architecture of these two streets. Artists participating in the project have exhibited their old works in the Press-Cafe. New works including partly the street, building, or simply the stories of Batumi residents living there, will be exhibited on 29-31 August.The project is supported by the Adjara Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.

Adjara.  The  Ukrainian  international  charity  fund  "Good  Deeds"  will  organize  afestival in Batumi on August 30. The event aims to unite the spiritual, cultural andintellectual  potential  of  people  of  different  nationalities.  Entertaining  and sportsactivities will be held as part of the festival, including a competition in rope path,cycle race, preparation of Ukrainian souvenirs, etc. For  the  full  text Festival  agenda

Adjara. The Batumi Branch of the international youth exchange program "AIESEC" has organized an intercultural evening in the TBC Bank gallery on August 9, with participation of students from leading universities of Georgia, Egypt, China, Poland and Ukraine. Youngsters have informed each other about their  countries'  culture and traditions. The meeting was held as part of the program "Vision towards Future and the Future Bridge", which aims to facilitate the process of integration among the Batumi-based and foreign students.