Georgia-Cyprus talks centre on closer cultural cooperation

Georgia is enhancing its already strong partnership with Cyprus.

Officials from both countries met today in Tbilisi and discussed several bilateral projects that raised awareness of both nations and promoted closer cultural ties.

One of the topics discussed was the potential for establishing new joint educational programs on preservation of antiquities. Specifically, the two sides discussing an idea posed by the Cyprus delegation to develop combined educational programs on protection of cultural legacies.

The other main topic on the agenda was the ongoing archaeological excavation of a 10th Century medieval Georgian monastery in Cyprus.

The official delegation from Cyprus was hosted by Georgia's Minister of Culture and Monument Protection Mikheil Giorgadze and his deputy Levan Kharatishvili.

Giorgadze expressed gratitude to the visiting delegation for their cooperation in the Gialia Monastery excavation works. Artefacts discovered at the ancient site which will on public display for three weeks at the TBC Gallery in Georgia's capital, starting tomorrow.

Remains of the 10th Century Georgian Orthodox Monastery of Gialia in Cyprus.

Georgia's Ambassador to Cyprus Revaz Lominadze and representatives of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation also attended today’s meeting.

The ongoing joint archaeological works at the Georgian Orthodox Monastery of Gialia in northwest Cyprus represented one of the most important projects of cooperation between governments of Georgia and Cyprus.

Aimed at excavating remains of the medieval church and restoring it for religious service, the project included a decision by the Cyprus government to hand over the old Monastery's area of land to Georgia last year.