Istanbul, Turkey, 13 July—The World Heritage Committee has decided to remove Georgia’s Historical Monuments of Mtskheta site from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The Committee’s decision reflects recognition of Georgia’s efforts to improve the safeguarding and management of the site, which had been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2009. It had been put on the List in Danger due, notably, to the deterioration of its stone fabric and fresco paintings caused by work carried out to its edifices. It was kept on the List in Danger due to uncontrolled urban sprawl.

The Historical Monuments of Mtskheta was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1994. It includes three Medieval churches, the Holy Cross Monastery of Jvari, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, and Samtavro Monastery, as well as major archaeological remains bearing witness to the high level of art and culture of Georgia over four millennia.

The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee opened on 10 July and will continue until 20 July. It is chaired by Ambassador, Director General of Cultural Affairs and Promotion Abroad of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lale Ülker.

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Media Contacts

George Papagiannis,
UNESCO Press Service, g.papagiannis@unesco.org
+33 (0) 6 82 94 89 54
+90 549 649 86 20

Agnès Bardon,
UNESCO Press Service
a.bardon@unesco.org
+33 (0) 6 80 24 13 56
+90 549 649 86 19