The Chuberi Pass, a passage turned into Golgotha

Initiated and coordinated by Luka Gurtskaia, Chairman of the International Association of Internally Displaced Persons of Georgia “Road to Home,” the exhibition documents civilian experiences during the 1993 war in Abkhazia and the resulting forced displacement.

Held in Tbilisi from 15 to 17 May, the exhibition welcomed over 420 visitors, including more than 100 students from four universities, survivors, journalists, and members of the public. The exhibition aimed to preserve the historical record and highlight civilian testimony in contemporary discourse.

A key element of the project is the testimony of British photojournalist Mike Goldwater, whose documentation of the conflict has been published internationally, including in The Independent. His account provides direct insight into the realities of Abkhazia's collapse and its broader humanitarian consequences.

Engaging younger generations is a central objective of the initiative. Enhancing students' historical awareness helps ensure that complex past events are neither abstracted nor misused. Informed understanding of history safeguards against repetition, denial, and the normalisation of mass displacement and violence.