David Songulashvili Delivers Remarks at the Conference “Our Daily Bread: Georgian Wheat Culture, Tradition, and Identity”

The Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, Mr. David Songulashvili, attended the conference “Our Daily Bread: Georgian Wheat Culture, Tradition, and Identity” at the Parliament of Georgia.


In his address, the Minister highlighted Georgian wheat as a cornerstone of the nation’s history and identity, stressing the importance of UNESCO’s recognition of “Georgian Wheat Culture: Traditions and Rituals” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.


“This is an international confirmation that Georgia is one of the oldest cradles of civilization, where the relationship with the land and the culture of sowing have been passed down from generation to generation as knowledge, tradition, and value. I would like to express my special gratitude to the employees of the Scientific Research Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, whose dedicated work laid the foundation for this achievement. For years, the Center’s scientists and researchers have worked tirelessly on the study and documentation of Georgian wheat’s genetic resources. It was precisely their scientific evidence and the preparation of a dossier in compliance with international standards that ensured the successful submission to UNESCO,” stated Mr. David Songulashvili.
 

According to the Minister, the Ministry continues its efforts to strengthen the production of seed material, aiming to promote Georgian wheat and traditional bread-baking. The development of supportive programs is also planned.

 
As mentioned by Mr. Songulashvili, strengthening international cooperation is essential to ensuring that Georgian wheat becomes recognized worldwide not only as a cultural heritage but also as a high-quality agricultural product.

The Minister expressed special gratitude for their personal contributions to the recognition of Georgian wheat culture by UNESCO to the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze; Deputy Chair of the Parliament of Georgia, Mrs. Nino Tsilosani; the Minister of Culture, Mrs. Tinatin Rukhadze; and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Maka Bochorishvili.