The US Embassy supports UNESCO’s Monument Reconstruction in Georgia

The US Embassy in Georgia presented the project "Architectural Rehabilitation of the Church of the Virgin at Gelati Monastery.

The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation will support the restoration of the medieval monastic complex with $ 600,000 Dollars. The project will be conducted by the International Art Center which is a leading Georgian NGO in the field of Culture, established in 1995.

The project was announced by the US Ambassador in Georgia, Richard Norland. The minister of culture and monument protection of Georgia, Guram Odisharia also attended the presentation.

In last 12 years, the US Embassy granted almost one million US dollars to protect and promote Georgian culture.

Gelati monastic complex, including Church of the Virgin and churches of St George and St Nicholas, are recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1994. It is situated near Kutaisi in west Georgia.

Gelati monastery was built in the beginning of 12^thcentury by the King David the Builder, who is one of the greatest rulers of Georgias history. In the middle ages, Gelati monasterys academy was a notable cultural and intellectual center in Georgia, where they taught philosophy, theology and other sciences.