UNESCO honors cultural significance of Georgian alphabet
During the 11th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Addis Ababa from November 28 to December 2, 2016, UNESCO nominated Georgia’s “Living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet” submission for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Committee supported the nomination submitted by Georgia and decided that the nomination fully satisfies all criteria under the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The report on the implementation of the Convention, due by States Parties every 6 years, includes a section on the…www.unesco.org
The Georgian (Mkhedruli) alphabet is one of only 14 existing scripts in the world. However, the evolution of Georgia’s written language has produced three alphabets — Mrgvlovani, Nuskhuri and Mkhedruli, which all remain in use today. Mrgvlovani was the first alphabet from which Nuskhuri was derived, and then Mkhedruli. The Mrgvlovani and Nuskhuri alphabets are practiced and taught informally predominately by the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church community. Georgia’s educational system, however, is based on the Mkhedruli alphabet. The alphabets coexist due to their different cultural and social functions, reflecting a key aspect of Georgia’s diversity and identity.
In addition, UNESCO hosted the 11th session of the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict on December 8 at its Paris headquarters. The Committee made a decision to grant enhanced protection to historical monuments in the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta. Mtskheta historical monuments have been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1994.
“Enhanced protection” is one of the features of the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. To this end, the Second Protocol provides criminal sanctions in case of violation of this immunity or other serious violation of its provisions.
More:
UNESCO: Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 11.COM 10.B.13
UNESCO: Living culture of three writing systems of the Georgian alphabet
MFA Georgia: Mtskheta historical monuments have been granted an enhanced protection