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Georgians Preserving the Natural and Cultural Heritage of Mt. Mkinvartsveri

Region: Caucasus, Georgia
Author: Society for Cultural Heritage Protection, Meri Kazalikashvili
Consortium Member: Horizonti
Status: Needs Funding Budget: $2822 Collected: $0 Needs: $2822
Goal: By publishing booklets for tourists the Society for Cultural Heritage will promote ecotourism and greater appreciation of the unique culture surrounding Mt. Mkinvartsveri.
Comment: Currently no such information exists for tourists. The ecosystem in the area is suffering from visitors who simply have not been alerted to the harm that they can inflict.

Project necessity

One of the main goals of the Cultural Heritage Protection Society is to protect the nature and cultural heritage of "Khevi" - one of the most beautiful high mountainous regions in Georgia and to support the tourism development in the region. One of the ways to accomplish this goal, as the Society for Cultural Heritage Protection views it, is to publish and distribute information booklets for travelers about the sights and peculiarities of "Khevi" region.

Project goals

Publishing of the booklet, "Mkinvartsveri - Myth, Legend, Reality" is not accidental. There does not exist information booklet about any of the Caucasus mountains giving the sufficient information about them. Publishing of the booklet will be the first try to put out all the information about cultural and natural values of Mkinvartsveri and in this way achieve the harmonic co-existence of the human being and the nature.

What is Mkinvartsveri?

Mkinvartveri is one of the highest, beautiful and mysterious mountains of the Caucasus mountains with the height of 5043 meters, which became well-known world-wide since 1869 when British researcher Douglas Freshfield first climbed up there. In 1923, after climbing on Mkinvartsveri Georgian mountaineering started its development both as a type of sport and as a direction within the science. In 1933, the first meteorological station was built (3700 meters) on Mkinvartsveri's slope. The interest to Mkinvartsveri grows dramatically and it is natural, as it has very unique landscape. However, with the growing interest for the mountain the danger of worsening its ecological situation is growing proportionally. As an evidence for it, there already are some trashed areas on the slopes of Mkinvartsveri.

Project Implementation and Timeline

The booklet will be published in 8 pages in both the Georgian and English languages accompanied with historical and modern photographs and the map of the area. The booklet will also include brief information about the donor organization/group of people who make the publishing of the booklet happen. In the first month publishers will prepare all the necessary information for the booklet including interviews aimed at gathering unique information and photographs from the knowledgeable people in the region who still possesses with very valuable information. In the second month publishers will be translating texts into English, conducting the expedition to the Mkinvartsveri mountain areas, and taking new photographs. In the third and fourth months publishers will make necessary computer design and publish the booklet, and will start distribution of the booklet.

What do we expect from the project?

  1. Increased knowledge and sophistication about Mkinvartsveri mountain region;
  2. Taken initiatives from the local population as well as from tourists for environmental protection activities
  3. Raised understanding and responsibility of local population and tourists for the surrounding environment.

Budget

Design and publishing of the booklet (500 copies) $1395
Expedition expenses (3 persons/$20/7days) $420
Transportation $120
Photo films, developing and printing materials $150
Office supplies (paper, pens etc) $80
Project author and coordinator 50x4 $200
Photographer $100
Translator $100
VF Administrative Cost (10%) $257
Total $2822

Mission Statement

Society for Cultural Heritage Protection is a Georgian not-for-profit organization established in 1996. The goals of the organization are:

Society for Cultural Heritage Protection cooperates with local and international organizations working on the development of the regions' mountainous areas.

Society for Cultural Heritage Protection is a member of the Caucasian Mountain Network, that supports exchange of information and experience between the organizations interested in the development of mountainous regions.