Salome Kasabishvili
PhD Student
Didi Liakhvi Valley Museum-Reserve
Researcher
Salome Kasabishvili
PhD Student
Didi Liakhvi Valley Museum-Reserve
Researcher
Human and heritage protection:
Preparedness of local lore museums of Shida Kartli during emergencies
Abstract
The role and function of museums in the modern world have increased, in addition to the repository of antiquities, the museum has become an educational and research institution – which should be accessible to everyone. The museum and other cultural institutions that preserve and take care of the cultural heritage are obliged to protect the cultural value from the expected threats. In this case, human involvement and readiness, practice-based knowledge to act in crises and fight against risks are vitally necessary.
Threats that exist today to national cultural heritage are unpredictable. Today's world events have shown us that cultural heritage may be at risk of various disasters at any time, at such times human role and knowledge is important to protect it or to cause minimal damage.
In Georgia, in the modern era, the cultural heritage that has already been in the war once needs a proper safety system and long-term preservation conditions. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness in this regard, both for the staff working in the cultural sector and for the local community.
The report refers to the condition of the large regional museums of Shida Kartli - Kaspi Giorgi Khorguashvili Local Lore Museum, Khashuri and Kareli Local Lore Museums and the exhibits kept there, storage conditions, assessment of disaster risks and their preparedness during emergencies.
The mentioned museums in the region and specifically in the cities where they are located are assigned a special cultural and educational role, they possess a rich collection with cultural and historical value and speak of the uniqueness of the country, the region, which is an indication of the sustainability of the cultural and economic life of a successful country and region, although their existence as a museum Miserable in every way.
The report will present the research carried out in April-May 2022 – to determine the state of emergency preparedness in these museums of Shida Kartli. The study includes determining the safety system through questionnaires and determining the quality categories of threats and risks using risk assessment tables, which present the main damaging factors. The mentioned studies have shown that all local lore museums in the Shida Kartli region are not prepared for natural or man-made disasters, and at the same time, they do not have a proper security policy. The stories of disasters of each museum will be presented, which will clearly show us how weak the capabilities museums have to deal with risks.
As an example of the protection of cultural heritage during disasters and raising the awareness of the local community, people working in the cultural sector and responsible persons and increasing its importance, the events held in this direction in 2020-2022 in the historical-ethnographic museum named after Sergi Makalatia of Gori will be considered. Along with this, the report will present the activities implemented in the Giorgi Khorguashvili Museum of Local Lore in Kaspi in 2023-2024, based on my research.
The human role is essential to preserve heritage in emergencies, including wartime conflicts. The report will contain the recommendations and the future action plan, which can be done in the direction of cultural heritage protection and their promotion in the mentioned museums.
Keywords: Human and heritage protection; The role and function of museums in the modern world; Human involvement and practice-based knowledge to protect cultural heritage or cause minimal damage.