Georgia received Acanthus Awards and international recognition, the Ministry of Culture announced.

The Acanthus Prize is a European award established by the European Route of Historic Gardens (ERHG), a certified Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, to honor outstanding initiatives in the preservation, restoration, and promotion of historic gardens.

According to the Ministry of Culture, within the framework of the first edition of the aforementioned award, the Georgian project – “Bread Festival at the Georgian National Botanical Garden” – won the highest award. The Georgian project won in the nomination “Public engagement, education and awareness raising.”

“The European Route of Historic Gardens (ERHG) is a non-profit association founded in 2016 whose members are European historic gardens and institutions. The annual festival, which is held at the Tbilisi Botanic Garden, promotes agricultural heritage and ethno-botanic knowledge. It unites scientific and cultural practice, attracting tens of thousands of visitors, and supports local communities.

The annual Bread Festival significantly contributes to the preservation and popularization of “Georgian Wheat Culture – Traditions and Rituals”, which was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2025.

The National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia submitted an application for membership of the European Route of Historic Gardens (ERHG) in 2019 and ensured nomination of the winner project in 2025.

The awarding ceremony will be held in Athens on October 7-9 within the framework of the European Historic Gardens Forum,” the Ministry said.