"ABKHAZIA: A Concise Encyclopaedia in Two Volumes" Unveiled Today
Comprehensive Publication Covers Abkhazia's History, Culture, and Society.
SUKHUM / AQW'A ― Today, April 19th, the highly anticipated "ABKHAZIA: A Concise Encyclopaedia in Two Volumes" was presented to the public. This comprehensive publication covers a broad spectrum of socio-historical factors that have contributed to the development of Abkhazia as a state, from ancient times to the present.
Intended for a wide audience, the encyclopaedia offers organised information on all facets of life in Abkhazia, including politics, social systems, geography, flora and fauna, history, religion, and architecture.
During the presentation, Soslan Salakaya, Director of the Research Center "Abkhazian Encyclopedia," emphasised the importance of this milestone for the Abkhaz people, as it represents the first publication of its kind. Despite some minor imperfections, Salakaya expressed confidence in the overall quality of the work, which has been in development since the research centre's establishment.
Vasily Avidzba, the inaugural head of the Abkhazian Encyclopedia Research Center and the encyclopaedia's Editor-in-Chief, expressed gratitude to all contributors. He provided a brief overview of the publication's development process, explaining that it took three years to complete due to numerous technical obstacles. Avidzba highlighted the team's dedication to producing high-quality work, which involved collecting and analysing materials from various sources and studying best practices for writing encyclopaedias. Despite challenges posed by the pandemic, the team successfully achieved their goals.
The encyclopaedia has an initial print run of 2,000 copies.