In the village of Dzvaburi, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has put forward the initiative of adding Chichilaki (a Georgian alternative of Christmas trees) and the tradition of celebrating the Kalanda (New Year) Festival to the list of intangible cultural heritage.
"I am now holding our Chichilaki in my hands. It is also standing in the presidential palace. This is a remarkable tradition popular throughout Georgia. I am putting forward the initiative of adding Chichilaki and Kalanda to the list of intangible cultural heritage. I will ask the Agency for Cultural Heritage, and I will also contribute to this, to have our voice heard by UNESCO to add them to the world heritage list. What is more, Chichilaki is Eco-friendly," Zurabishvili said.
