The three-day International Carpet Festival began at the ancient complex in Akhaltsikhe in southern Georgia, where carpet creators, enthusiasts and cultural heritage experts gathered and enjoyed carpets from Georgia and other parts of the world.
The carpet event also presented a diverse program involving exhibitions, educational activities and an international conference to celebrate carpet art heritage and creativity.
Visitors enjoyed a range of activities starting on day one of the festival. Compositions created using pencil, paper and glue and based on carpet textures found in items preserved at participating museums was part of the event.
The festival featured varying carpet ornaments to illustrate the development of creative methods throughout history.
The festival has been held in Georgia for the past few years. This year’s celebration is staged under the umbrella of Check in Georgia, a Governmental project involving festivals, concerts and cultural occasions in Georgia throughout the year.
The 2016 Carpet Festival is organised by the Georgian State Museum of Folk and Applied Arts, Mirza Fatali Akhundov Museum of Azerbaijani Culture and Samtskhe-Javakheti Museum, along with local organisations in Akhaltsikhe.