Youth centres, recreational facilities and tourism sites – within the framework of Pilot Integrated Regional Development Programme (PIRDP) infrastructural projects – are being implemented in the Imereti region

For many years, the former cultural centre building in the village of Gubi, Khoni municipality, was abandoned and non-functional. Locals recall that children could not even attend music or dance classes in the village, and their parents had to take them to the district centre to take part in such activities.

Later, the population approached the municipality and asked for help. The initiative was implemented within the framework of the Pilot Integrated Regional Development Programme (PIRDP) and with the financial support of the European Union, a youth multifunctional centre was established in Gubi.

Local resident Lali Gordadze hails the initiative as a great success, saying: “With the support of the European Union, the building has been renovated. It’s a big deal to have all of this in place. The functioning of the facility will help students and youth, who now will not have to go elsewhere: they will be able to receive the needed resources right here, be it reading, watching entertainment or taking part in musical classes. The village will be joyful as well,” Lali adds.

Within the framework of PIRDP, several other infrastructural projects have been implemented in the Imereti region. Among them, recreation spaces, tourist attractions and other sites have been rehabilitated in Kutaisi.

Kutaisi resident Tamar Kvantaliani said: “To me, as a tour guide and an local resident, having a proper infrastructure in Kutaisi means so much. Considering this, local tour guides and local people approached the municipality and asked for support to implement various rehabilitation projects. One of the projects in the city centre was the rehabilitation of the fountain, which is an important tourist attraction.”.

Imereti is just one of the four regions in which PIRDP has been implemented. Within the framework of the programme, several projects have already been completed across the region. The programme is based on European approaches and provides for the implementation of projects that are tailored to the needs of population. It aims at promoting the economic empowerment of the population by improving the infrastructure in the regions.