Creative Zugdidi
What Makes Zugdidi Special
For Zugdidi, culture is a unique and important treasure, which organically merges traditions and modernity, along with constant self-renewal rooted in the rich creative potential of the city and the whole region. This is conditioned by a number of factors, stemming from the municipality, among them being: the ancient culture of the Bronze Age of Colchis, ancient civilization and Christian culture, unique cultural and historical monuments and museums, caves and caverns, places for rafting and picnicking, the wetlands of Kolkheti and its rare natural beauty, incredibly high mountains of Zemo-Svaneti, Black Sea basin and developing resort zones.
Across Zugdidi Municipality, the cultural contribution of past generations is everywhere to see, hear and inspire. Cultural activity takes place across the city every day and is expressed in a wide variety of ways from the established to the informal, emerging and grassroots. Zugdidi has a distinct and diverse cultural heritage and landscape, conceptualized in local folklore, historical monuments, crafts, and gastronomy. Zugdidi is rich with creatively talented people and the environment. This is a place, where culture and creativity are valued, preserved, and developed.
Cultural elements that lack a physical form but are instead expressed through knowledge, traditions, skills or rituals are equally important to shaping living culture. These include artistic performances, festivals, social practices, oral heritage, folklore, language and dialects, craftsmanship, and of course, gastronomic traditions.
Gastronomy, craftsmanship, folklore – traditions and products associated with them, have the high potential to stimulate and support in the identification and development of local creative minds; promote innovative approaches; motivate and empower as well as provide employment opportunities; raise awareness and popularity of Zugdidi; make the city more attractive and turn it into a tourist destination, both on local and international levels, which will, in turn, support development of the local economy.
