‘Such beautiful places have a positive influence on humans. Here, with the bright colours and nature, you feel at peace.’

“I want children to grow strong, gentle and cultural like the real Svan people.”

“I think it’s necessary to introduce this place to more people.”

“My parents, our family used to sing Svan songs. They were singing very well, especially my mother. She taught me singing and playing the ‘Tchuniri’.”

“I want children to have more opportunities.”

“Svaneti is everything for me, it is my homeland.”

‘In our ravine live around 320 families, all of them are indigenous people.’

‘I am a local of the village, I love Chuberi and I support it.’

‘Energy is very necessary but a big dam is always a mistake.’

‘These lands are used as pastures by our families.’

“I think already on the first days in Svaneti, in 2009 I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the nature.”

“Svaneti has many interesting unique ways of making handicraft and it’s important to spread this knowledge among children.”

‘My ancestors had never used any herbicides and chemicals.’

“I am forging Svan knives by the method of “Batsarauli” as our ancestors used to do it.”

“I don’t want to leave Svaneti but improve our community. I want Ushguli to become modern.”

‘I think, Svaneti has a big future.’

‘I call on the future generation to save their culture, their region, their Svaneti.’

‘Svaneti needs more attention. Otherwise, it will become empty.’

“There is a danger that something can happen to Svaneti. Too many dams are being built.”

“What can we do?! Life in Svaneti is not good, but we still love Svaneti and live here… whether we want or not.”

‘I have heard about the Nenskra project and I am totally against it.’

‘It is important to recycle in Svaneti because a lot of garbage has been thrown in Svaneti for last period of time.’

“There are no bills here, everything we have is free and everything we do is ours.”

‘Very talented children have been discovered in Nakra since a teacher started motivating then to learn Georgian and Svan songs.’

‘It’s not only the problem of the Nenskra dam, there are 36 dams planned in Svaneti.’

“It is necessary to found some organisations or to make some projects to protect and develop the Svan language, which is a huge historical heritage.”

“I want our youth to study Svan songs.”

“I think it’s necessary to introduce this place to more people.”

“Sometimes you have to pinch yourself and think: ‘Am I living in the lord of the rings?'”

‘We are not going to live without Svaneti. We grew up in the mountains, we are children of the mountains.’

‘The existence of the towers depends on our humanity, dignity and wishes; on how we want to return our history and care for it.’

‘Even if you offer me millions or billions of money, my millions and billions are that I can wake my children up at fresh air and in my yard, this is my luxury.’

‘The construction of these hydropower plants will cause environmental impacts.’

“We are orthodox Christians and we love old traditions. We don’t want to lose them.”

‘It is impossible for anyone to change anything in Svaneti, because it will be the destruction of Svaneti and the Svan people.’

“After the war the country collapsed, nothing was working and I returned to the village.”