On 28 October, a documentary about the Georgian village of Mutso won the European Heritage Award for Conservation, reported agenda.ge.

The village of Mutso is a fortified settlement which was the strongest outpost in northern Georgia for centuries, controlling the roads and protecting the state border. The village, strikingly integrated in the surrounding landscape thanks to the harmonious use of materials, was inhabited from the 10th century onwards. The harsh climate, the lack of arable land, the poor infrastructure combined with water shortages led to the depopulation of the village by the middle of the 20th-century. Through slow deterioration and lack of maintenance, this unique village was set to be lost. In 2014, a project to rehabilitate the settlement was initiated by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia (NACHP) under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, with the support of the Georgian Government and in collaboration with other State institutions.

The jury of the contest noted that “this project addressed the depopulation of mountain communities, a challenge that is found throughout Europe. The restoration of this heritage has created an awareness among the local community of their intangible heritage and the history of the people of the Caucasus, in turn encouraging their re-engagement with this heritage. The continuation of traditional craftsmanship has been prioritised, ensuring its future maintenance. The overcoming of many challenges to the rehabilitation, including the difficult terrain and lack of infrastructure, is commendable.”

The European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards is the most prestigious heritage prize in Europe. The awards started as an NGO initiative in 1978 but developed in 2001 as a fully institutionalized by the European Commission.  It highlights some of Europe's best achievements in heritage care, and showcase remarkable efforts made in raising awareness about our cultural heritage. The aim of the initiative is to promote and reward success and altruism in the field of cultural heritage. It serves to: raise awareness of the issues facing the sector; recognise achievements in service to protecting European cultural heritage; to encourage a greater appreciation of European culture heritage; and to highlight examples of successes in the sector and raise awareness of best practices across Europe.

Since 2002, independent expert juries have selected 485 award-winning projects from 34 countries. In line with the number of entries, Spain tops the list with 64 awards received. The United Kingdom is in second place (60 awards) and Italy comes third (41 awards).