Statement on the State of World Heritage Sites in Georgia

22 May 2026

Statement on the State of World Heritage Sites in Georgia

We, the Cultural Heritage Group of the Public Assembly, the Environmental Protection Group of the Public Assembly, the Mtskheta Public Assembly, the Kutaisi Public Assembly, professionals working in the field of cultural heritage, researchers, and representatives of civil society, express our concern over the state of protection of UNESCO World Heritage sites and potential World Heritage properties in Georgia.

In recent years, it has become particularly evident that the problems in the field of cultural heritage protection no longer represent isolated cases, but rather reflect a systemic crisis of governance, accountability, and the rule of law.

Particular concern is raised by the multi-year crisis ongoing at the Gelati Monastery, which is linked to improperly planned and executed rehabilitation works that have caused serious damage to the authenticity and integrity of the site. The risk of further damage remains high. Despite years of international engagement, the case of Gelati continues to clearly demonstrate a lack of political will to systemically organize the cultural heritage sector, institutional weakness, disregard for professional standards, and a lack of accountability.

The situation at the Upper Svaneti World Heritage site is no less severe. The heritage of the Chazhashi community, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1996, now faces threats that professional circles have been pointing out for years. As noted back in a 2021 statement by ICOMOS Georgia, there is a "significant damage and loss of the historical fabric, and the disintegration of the traditional settlement structure, its environment, and integrity". Uncontrolled and illegal construction, chaotic development of the buffer zone, disruption of the traditional landscape, and damage to the authentic historical environment continue unabated. Many monuments are in severe physical condition, and response to damaged structures is often dependent on the efforts of the local population and civil initiatives rather than state institutions. To this day, the site lacks a full-fledged management plan, effective mechanisms for monitoring and on-site response do not exist, and tourism development remains practically an unregulated process. The case of Upper Svaneti clearly shows how ineffective management, ignorance of professional standards, and institutional weakness damage the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage. Despite numerous warnings from local and international professional circles over the years, there is no apparent political will on the part of the state for a systemic solution to the problems in Upper Svaneti either.

In the case of the Historical Monuments of Mtskheta, the prolonged and ineffective management process remains a problem. A construction moratorium has been in place for many years, which is still presented by the state as a temporary and necessary protective measure, as the historical city does not yet have approved full-fledged spatial and management documentation. The multi-year extension of the moratorium in itself indicates that the state has so far failed to provide a sustainable, long-term, and institutionally sound system for heritage protection. Notably, at the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Jvari Great Church of Mtskheta, following the research conducted and a conservation plan prepared with US support, the second part of the project—the actual conservation work—remained unimplemented. For this work, the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation allocated $506,000 USD in 2020, and it was scheduled for completion in 2023. However, the Giorgi Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation was unable to work on the project due to obstacles created by the Ministry of Culture. Stone conservation works in the interior of the church only commenced in March 2026. Years of inaction have deepened the stone erosion of the Mtskheta Jvari Church and threatened the preservation of the monument. The example of Mtskheta also demonstrates that the protection of World Heritage sites in Georgia still largely proceeds in a reactive and crisis mode, rather than on the basis of a pre-planned, consistent policy.

These cases demonstrate that the problem transcends individual monuments and affects the field of cultural heritage protection as a whole. We believe that under current circumstances, the crisis in cultural heritage protection must be viewed within the broader context of democratic backsliding, the capture of state institutions, lack of transparency in decision-making processes, and repressions against civil society taking place in Georgia. The marginalization of independent expertise in the cultural heritage sector, the politicization of professional processes, and the disregard for public interest directly impact the protection of World Heritage sites.

We appeal to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, international professional organizations, donor institutions, and Georgia's international partners to pay special attention to the ongoing processes in the field of cultural heritage protection in Georgia. It is important that international discussions regarding the rule of law, democratic governance, and institutional accountability fully encompass the sphere of culture and heritage. Furthermore, support is essential for independent professionals, civil society organizations, and investigative media, which currently play a vital role in protecting both cultural heritage and the public interest.

The protection of World Heritage sites in Georgia is no longer just a matter of cultural policy — it is an integral part of democratic governance, public accountability, and the country's European future.