2020 | Building Peace through Heritage
The talking points of speech at the XXII International General
Assembly / Symposium «Building peace through heritage»
Ada Marshania 1
1
Georgian Parliament, [email protected]
Abstract: In 1992-1993 in one of the regions of Georgia - in Abkhazia, a conflict
had broken out between two kindred people: Abkhazian and Georgian. During the
conflict, the cultural heritage of Abkhazia had been hit hard: first directly from the
hostilities and then from the long post-war 27-year ruin, the financial crisis, and the
shortage of qualified personnel. Naturally, all this leads to their direct destruction.
I will not list in detail the condition of all the monuments. They need serious restoration
or conservation. It takes a time. I want to pay your attention and briefly tell
you about the state of cultural objects, the most significant and important for the
worldview and historical memory of the Abkhaz and Georgian peoples: It is a Bedia
monastery complex and the Ilor Church of St. George the Victorious. The tragedy is
that all this has been going on for decades. I address you with an urgent request to
develop effective mechanisms:
• for urgent monitoring of the state of cultural heritage in post-conflict territories;
• providing urgent assistance in the urgent conservation of monuments damaged
as a result of hostilities;
• Active involvement of conflicting parties in cooperation on the preservation
and restoration of damaged monuments.
Keywords: cultural heritage; historical memory; conflict; peace through caring for
heritage
I greet you, participants in the XXII international Assembly.
The theme of this conference: “Building a World through Heritage” is very close and relevant for us,
our country, which I represent here today.
Many of you, especially Russian-speaking participants, know that in 1992-1993 in one of the regions of
Georgia - in Abkhazia, a conflict had broken out between two kindred people: Abkhazian and Georgian.
Even this one indicator- up to 45% of mixed Georgian-Abkhazian marriages, says a lot about close
relationship, about the affinity of these people.
During the conflict, the cultural heritage of Abkhazia had been hit hard: first directly from the hostilities
and then from the long ‘post-war 27-year ruin, the financial crisis, and the shortage of qualified
personnel. Naturally, all this leads to their direct destruction.
I will not list in detail the condition of all the monuments. They need serious restoration or conservation.
It takes a time. I want to pay your attention and briefly tell you about the state of cultural objects, the
most significant and important for the worldview and historical memory of the Abkhaz and Georgian
peoples: It is a Bedia monastery complex and the Ilor Church of St. George the Victorious.
These two monuments are symbols of centuries-old unity and kinship of two peoples.
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