Representatives of the World Heritage Centre and its advisory bodies examined the rehabilitation works ongoing in Gelati. From September 22 to 28, a joint reactive monitoring mission from the World Heritage Centre, ICCROM, and ICOMOS visited Georgia to familiarize themselves with and assess the ongoing and completed rehabilitation works at the Gelati Monastic Complex.

On the first day of the mission, the members held a meeting at the Patriarchate of Georgia, where they met with the chairman of the temporary committee for Gelati rehabilitation, the archbishop of the Georgian Patriarchate, - Mephe Shio. Meetings were also held with the temporary committee for Gelati rehabilitation and the National Agency for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Georgia. Starting from the second day of work, representatives of the mission traveled to the Gelati Monastic Complex to familiarize themselves with and study the recent works carried out on the monument, where they detailedly reviewed conservation works in the fields of architecture, wall painting, and mosaics over the course of three working days.

The mission members listened to comprehensive reports from the leadership of the temporary committee for Gelati rehabilitation, heads of international and national advisory bodies, as well as leaders of conservation directions — both Georgian and foreign specialists and invited experts — on the works performed, which have been conducted within the framework of Gelati rehabilitation from 2023 to the present.

Besides of this, the mission members had the opportunity to meet with the regional representative of the Imereti region, the mayors of Tkibuli, Zestaponi, and Terjola, and to receive comprehensive information regarding the works conducted by the committee as part of updating the management plan for Gelati. The mission will publish a detailed report and appropriate recommendations regarding the rehabilitation works at the Gelati Monastic Complex in the coming months.