A regional branch of the National Center of Folklore has been opened in Ozurgeti, covering the western region and all three municipalities of Guria.

Director of the Georgian Folklore State Center Giorgi Donadze, and Minister of Culture and Sports Mikheil Batiashvili, opened the rehabilitated center in Ozurgeti before an audience of government and business sector representatives, folklorists and media.

Minister Batiashvili said he considers the rehabilitated, modern folklore center a unique means of development of the sector.

“Opening this unique folklore center in Ozurgeti is the best opportunity for folklore development in western Georgia. It comes with a concert hall, exposition rooms, and recording studios with all the essential equipment. It will be the perfect venue for international folklore festivals in the region,” he said.

According to Donadze, the Folklore State Center in Ozurgeti will serve the whole of western Georgia. It was opened to promote the development of cultural and educational activities, and the preservation and popularization of Georgian folklore.

“We opened this western regional representation of the Georgian Folklore Center to serve all fields of folklore and we will be working to intensify the direction of folklore in western Georgia,” he said.

During the opening ceremony, Georgia’s best folklore bands, including Shemoqmedi, Shvidkatsa, Basiani, local trio Shalva Chemo and choirs from the town itself, Mestia and Oni performed live for the audience.

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