Mikheil Chkhenkeli: "Georgia is not only a part of Europe, but has also made a very significant contribution to the creation of European culture and European values"

Mikheil Chkhenkeli, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, and Kakha Kaladze, Mayor of Tbilisi and President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes Programme.

“The Memorandum of Cooperation on the Council of Europe’s Cultural Routes Programme will provide a powerful impetus for the development of tourism in our country. Visitors to our country will be able to discover Georgia as a land of rich culture and magnificent history. As you know, our history, cultural heritage, and culture are our primary treasures, and we are very pleased that our guests will be able to see firsthand that Georgia is not only a part of Europe, but has also made a tremendous contribution to the creation of European culture and European values.

Cultural Routes is one of the Council of Europe’s primary priority programmes, with 47 participating countries. Georgia’s active involvement in this programme is extremely important and truly a step forward on the path of returning to the European family. I would also like to emphasize that the programme has significant educational value, and the Ministry will develop special projects for school students and university students. This, of course, will further deepen their knowledge of our country’s history and fill each of them with pride. In addition, the programme will play a major role in the development of local self-governments and local businesses,” stated Mikheil Chkhenkeli during the memorandum signing ceremony.

Within the framework of the memorandum, cooperation between the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia and the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia will be carried out in the following areas:

• Development of the Cultural Routes Programme and promotion of public awareness;
• Involvement of local self-governing units in the creation of new cultural routes, and in the planning and implementation of joint projects in the field of cultural tourism;
• Exchange of informational, methodological, and other types of information;
• Partnership in organizing international events in the fields of cultural tourism and cultural routes;
• Organization of public information campaigns on local cultural tourism and the creation of local cultural routes;
• Training of local self-government officials in the management of local cultural tourism and local cultural routes.

Cultural Routes is one of the Council of Europe’s priority directions, established in 1987. To date, 38 routes have been certified by the Council of Europe, and 47 states are united within the programme itself.

Through the implementation of mass projects, the Cultural Routes Programme promotes sustainable development and strengthens diversified forms of access to heritage. More than 1,600 institutions are involved in the route network, enabling synergy among national, regional, and local governments, associations, and various socio-economic entities.

At the national level, the Cultural Routes Programme in Georgia is coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, which is actively campaigning for its promotion. This memorandum also serves to expand the network of cultural routes.