The official opening ceremony of the Ikalto School Academy of Qvevri was held in the village of Ikalto, Kakheti region.  The Ikalto School Academy of Qvevri was founded with joint efforts of the Patriarchate of Georgia, the Diocese of Alaverdi - Abba Alaverdeli Metropolitan David, the local government, Badagoni winery and the World Bank.

In 2022, the Badagoni company became the managing company of the Shuamta Tourist Gate and the Ikalto School Academy of Qvevri with the support of the Partnership Fund of Georgia and the USAID, contributing to the infrastructural development of the Shuamta Gate and the School Academy of Qvevri and preserving the heritage of Alaverdi and promoting the tourism sector.

As Vano Vashakmadze, the head of the Tourism Department at the USAID's Economic Program, said on the air of Radio Sivrce, it is a unique and non-standard combination when the private company Badagoni, the Patriarchate of Georgia, Alaverdi Diocese and the USAID unite in order to grow the economic opportunities of Kakheti region for the development of the heritage of Alaverdi as a unique tourist destination that combines three outstanding historical monuments: Shuamta, Ikalto and Alaverdi. 

As per Vano Vashakmadze, the mentioned space should turn into a certain ,,calling card”, which will allow travelers to Georgia, especially during the trip to Kakheti, to stop, look and get this impression.

Speaking about the importance of the School Academy of Qvevri, Vano Vashakmadze emphasized the fact that the ancient Georgian traditional method of making Qvevri wine was granted the status of the world intangible cultural heritage by the UNESCO, which increases the importance of the functioning of this school even more.

After the opening of the  Ikalto School Academy of Qvevri, a technologically equipped exhibition and lecture space will start functioning, which will allow the local population to learn traditional methods of making a Qvevri, as well as clay processing and ceramic products. All this will make the region even more interesting for tourists.

The event was attended by Giorgi Salakaia, the founder of the Badagoni company, Abba Alaverdeli Metropolitan David, the head of the Diocese of Alaverdi, the local government and the USAID economic security program representatives.

Reverend Abba Alaverdeli Metropolitan David thanked the creators of the idea of the project and said that the School Academy of Qvevri will start functioning at full capacity in the near future.

It is also worth noting that, within the framework of the cooperation with the Partnership Fund, the Badagoni company ensured the technical implementation of the project and developed an investment plan so that the School Academy of Qvevri could start functioning. As Giorgi Salakaia, the founder of the Badagoni company, said at the event, the only soil research laboratory in the country would function in the School Academy of Qvevri.

The guests invited to the opening of the Ikalto School Academy of Qvevri toured the school space and attended a clay processing master class and an exhibition of clay samples. The event was accompanied by a Georgian polyphonic music program.