Tbilisi: Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia Thea Tsulukiani gave museum awards for the first time in the history of independent Georgia on the occasion of the International Museum Day. The event was attended by museum leaders, staff, museum field representatives and scientists.
The authors of the idea of setting up awards are Giorgi Kalandia, the Director General of the Museum of Art and Culture, the First Deputy Director General of the National Museum of Georgia Nika Akhalbedashvili and Nino Chipashvili, the Director of the Ethnographic Museum named after Giorgi Chitaia.
Five museum prizes were established on the initiative of leading Georgian museums: Academician Simon Janashia, Academician Shalva Amiranashvili, Giorgi Chitaia, David Arsenishvili and Akaki Chanturia.
● Academician Simon Janashia’s Award for Special Contribution to the Scientific Activities of Georgian Museums was awarded to Professor Vakhtang Japaridze, Doctor of History Sciences.
● Academician Shalva Amiranashvili’s Award for Special Contribution to Georgian Museum Activities was awarded to Doctor of Arts and Science, Chief Defender of the Treasury, Elene Kavlelashvili (after her death).
● Academician Giorgi Chitaia’s Prize for proper study and appreciation of Giorgi Chitaiya’s birthday was awarded to Professor Tamila Tsagareishvili.
● The David Arsenishvili Award for the proper representation of David Arsenashvili’s birthday was given to Professor Natela Vachnadze, Doctor of History Sciences.
● Akaki Chanturia’s Prize for establishing Martvili Museum of Biology and creating unique museum collections was awarded to historian Givi Eliava (after his death).
In addition, certificates of thanks were awarded to those people who in 2022-2023 donated family-owned museum exhibits to Georgian museums, which made a special contribution to filling their museum collections. Certificates of thanks were given by the Minister:
● Clara Matcharashvili – employee of Skhvitori Akaki Tsereteli’s House-Museum and the oldest museum, who on December 20, 2022 remembered the Georgian Palace of Art, Solomon Matcharashvil’s Swiss, unique golden (100 g) watch, who was repressed in 1937 Solomon Matcharashvili was a member of Akaki Tsereteli’s household. Clara Macharashvili said that she gave a gift to Georgian people: “In the memory of my father, in respect of my people, in proof of trust in your Ministry of Museum and Culture”;
● To Tina Chubinidze – 86-year-old teacher, who handed over to the Palace of Arts on January 15, 2022 to her grandfather, Jordan Chubinidze, a unique gold-plated unique belt, which is an important acquisition for the history of Georgian folk applied art;
● Nugzar Alanya, who gave the Palace of Arts as a gift to his father, Damiane Alanya, part of the unique archive: a number of photos, newspapers or books; five manuscripts of Titian Tabidze, one of which poem is still unpublished and Yetim Gurji’s poem “Autograph” written in 1921;
● Simon Kopadze – scientist and researcher, who handed over to the Palace of Arts Konstantine Gamsakhurdia the most expensive 57-page manuscript from the famous trilogy “Davit Agmashenebeli”.
Certificates of gratitude were handed over to the main defender of the foundations of the Palace of Arts, Irina Moistrafishvili and the guide of the Ethnographic Museum of Giorgi Chitaia, Nino Machaberidze.
Notably, Museum prize will be given once a year in the amount of 1000 GEL. The recipient of the award must meet the following criteria:
● Long-term (at least 10 years) philanthropic activity for the museum sphere;
● Monographs recognized in the museum field, scientific works, participation or authorization in the creation of cognitive literature and catalogues;
● Creating museum collections or participating in their creation;
● Creating a museum or participating in its creation;
● Organizing or participating in a museum exposition at a general or international level;
● High-level restoration of important museum exhibits or participating in the restoration process;
● Creating or implementing museum educational programs of general or international level in the museum sphere;
● Making an important contribution to the research of the history of the museum or the biographies of the museum’s creators.
