PIAG - Immediate Action 1: Guidelines for the Repair and Reconstruction Process
The Guidelines, which address a wide audience (technicians, representatives of local authorities and institutions, inhabitants), were elaborated based on samples of two villages (Tkviavi and Mereti) in order to capture the cultural significance of the places and to extrapolate it to the region in order to draw up priority recommendations for the repairing of buildings (of all types) in relation to the war damage.
In considering an extensive definition of cultural heritage, what is at stake is the rebuilding and development of infrastructures, housing, landmarks and symbols, allowing the local multicultural communities to continue to live in this cultural environment, both damaged and targeted by the war. Living conditions in the villages of the Gori district were already quite difficult before the conflict. The living environment has either been damaged or is on the verge of destruction due to the neglect of recent years, natural processes or recent events. The situation is causing suffering and fear, and making local communities distraught, contributing to the migration of the local population and to the loss of local tangible and intangible traditions. All this has ultimately resulted in the current degradation of village life. The simple repair or rebuilding of traditional houses will not be sufficient for reconstructing these communities and for moving towards sustainable development.
The specific approach fostered in the PIAG Immediate Actions concerns the "rehabilitation" process, aimed at recuperating and preserving the cultural and built environment of the populations, in order to recreate suitable conditions for the economic development of the communities. This should contribute to the preservation of a certain lifestyle and should convince the inhabitants to remain in their villages or to come back, ensuring that the region will not face a post-conflict trauma with progressive impoverishment or even abandonment of this culturally-rich land.
