EU offers €300,000 for cultural development strategy in Georgia’s western Zugdidi city
The strategy outlines three main strategic themes that position it as a city of cultural heritage innovation, a creative city of arts and crafts, and a creative city of gastronomy, in the criteria for the grant. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia
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The western Georgian city of Zugdidi has received an European Union grant of €300,000 to prepare a five-year cultural development strategy, the EU Delegation to Georgia announced on Tuesday.
The strategy outlines three main strategic themes that position it as a city of cultural heritage innovation, a creative city of arts and crafts, and a creative city of gastronomy, in the criteria for the grant.
This is a major opportunity for the city to animate its cultural ecosystem, boost its economic development through cultural activities and increase its regional and international visibility”, Catalin Gherman, the deputy head of cooperation at the EU Delegation to Georgia said.
Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia
Zugdidi and the Black Sea port city of Poti - both located in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region - as well as the western hub city of Kutaisi each received a €30,000 EU grant for the purpose, however Zugdidi also received additional funding after its winning of the EU4Culture project grants call, the EU Delegation explained.
Implemented in the country by the Goethe Institute - as the lead institution - as well as the Danish Culture Institute, Czech Centres and the Institut Francais in Georgia, EU4Culture was launched in May 2021 and will run through 2024.
Particularly aimed at non-capital cities, the programme has targeted 27 sites and eight municipalities, with a total budget of €40 million.
Micro- and small-sized entrepreneurs in Georgia have been invited to submit their projects for a state grant, after the Enterprise Georgia state campaign announced a call for business ideas on Monday.
Over 100 works by Georgia's celebrated 20th century avant-garde artist and stage designer Petre Otskheli have gone on first-ever display for residents of the western Georgian city of Zugdidi, with Tbilisi's Art Palace museum bringing exhibits from its collections to the Dadiani Palace venue.
The Georgian Government will spend ₾32 billion (about $11bln/€10bln) over the next 10 years in developing infrastructure and raising living standards of citizens, Irakli Karseladze, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, said on Wednesday.
Three locations in Georgia's west - the Black Sea port city of Poti, Imereti provincial capital Kutaisi, and Zugdidi in the Samegrelo region - will receive up to €30,000 in European Union funding to develop strategies for their cultural and creative sectors, as part of the EU4Culture project launched this year to support Eastern Partnership countries.
The European Union will transfer €20.87 million to support the implementation of "key reforms" in various sectors of the Georgian economy, from economic and business development to rural advances and food safety, the EU Delegation to Georgia announced on Thursday.