Our Projects

Our headquarters

Our beautiful new headquarters has just had its restoration completed, carried out by ICOMOS Georgia. We are using it as a public example of how a historic property can be renovated while retaining its former character, but in the modern context. We are providing events and presentations, some already appearing on national TV and in the press, showing anyone with old properties how the utilisation of the original materials can be easier, cheaper and ultimately more profitable, than demolition. We have been lucky enough to received visits and professional input from some of the world’s top architects and engineers.

The Khada Valley

The Khada Valley road and tunnel project threatens one of Georgia’s most precious historic valleys (see Landscape).  Unfortunately the work has now begun. We have presented a feasible alternative to this disastrous project to the international development banks (who are funding this project), in the hope that one of Europe’s most architecturally unique and well preserved valleys may be saved. The re-routing of the road and tunnel would allow the valley’s natural eco-tourism to develop – as has happened in England’s now world-famous Lake District – preserved thanks to concerted efforts by members of the early National Trust. A fuller explanation of the situation in Khada can be found on the website’s Landscape page.

Heritage Competition

In 2019 we initiated a new competition to encourage local Georgian people to preserve their own heritage homes, or historical details in their homes. We hope this will lead to a new and growing trend toward awareness of cultural heritage values, not only physical but also monetary (original features are increasingly rare and therefor valuable). The NTG plaques and prizes were presented by the then British Ambassador, Justin McKenzie Smith.

We will be continuing this project in Tusheti, summer 2022.

World Monument Fund Nomination

In early 2019 the NTG submitted Georgia’s National Park, Tusheti for consideration to be added to the World Monument Fund’s (WMF) Watch List. In October it was selected as just one of 25 sites out of the 250 entries from around the world. The NTG will highlight Tusheti for the next two years as an international treasure, to be cherished, visited and developed as an example of high-quality mountain eco-tourism. We will be shortly setting an international Watch Day for this summer – when Tusheti and its potential for sustainable development and tourism will be highlighted globally.

The project began in July 2021 with a series of workshops on heritage restoration, preserving the local wool and weaving industry, artists working with local children, a commissioned report on the development situation in Tusheti. The pictures below are from the project in summer 2021. This will be continued in 2022.

Calendar 2022

Here is the new NTG calendar – 24 pages, A4 size, bi-lingual, with design ideas, landscapes, map of Georgia, updates on the NTG.

For sale – 6 GBP + p/p.

If you want to order one, please do so through this website.

Eco-Towerism and Community Rehabilitation

The National Trust of Georgia is partnering with the International National Trusts Organisation (INTO) and Rempart in France for a two-year project to restore the Tsiskarauli Tower up in the Assa Valley, and help develop local historic tourism. Generous support from the ALIPH Foundation will allow rehabilitation of this site, damaged by a missile in the 2001 Chechen War. Working with an international group of volunteers we have started to stabilise and restore the structure, as part of a working holidays programme.

Volunteers from France came in August 2021 and stayed in the local community, kicking-off this project for National Trust of Georgia’s working holiday program. Engagement between locals and visitors is an excellent way to help economic development in this and other remote heritage sites. Staff from Georgia have already been taken to France for training in the techniques of delivering working holidays and managing heritage assets.

This coming summer of 2022 we will be running more working holidays connected with this project.