On April 20, 2016, the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the “Hayartun” Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia hosted a celebration of Easter featuring the students of the Diocesan St. Movses Khorenatsi Kindergarten. The clergy, the Hayartun Center’s staff, parents and guests took their seats in the hall decorated in accordance with the feast.

The event was opened with the Lord’s Prayer and the blessings of the Diocesan Primate. At the initiative of the Director of the Educational Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and Preschool Director, Eugenia Markosyan, the people present observed a minute's silence in honor of those who died in the four-day war in Artsakh. Later, she wished the people present a happy Easter (according to Christian canons the Easter season continues on for 50 days) while the children appeared on the scene.

Through beautiful recitation, joyful songs and dances the children demonstrated customs and traditions accompanying Easter, which they had learned owing to the joint efforts of teachers and parents. The event was filled with elements, aimed at the preservation of national identity, traditional songs and quotations on Easter, providing a powerful base for national culture in the hearts of the children.

The Armenian Embassy’s cultural attaché Elina Mkrtchyan, who attends almost all events at the Hayartun Center, thanked the Preschool staff for their contributions and dedication to patriotic preservation of the national identity outside Armenia.

At the end of the event, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan offered his appreciation and blessing remarks. The Diocesan Primate highly appreciated the work of the Kindergarten Headmistress Eugenia Markosyan, teachers Oksana Sharoyan, Metaksia Ghazaryan, Maria Abulyan, Ivane Mkrtchyan, highlighting beautiful and tasteful decoration accordant to the theme of the celebration. The Primate referred to events developing in Artsakh in recent days and the unity shown by the Armenian people in the name of historical homeland, Christian faith and the longevity of the nation. The Diocesan Primate called upon the people present to teach their children the right way to understand things and events, urged to be close to the Armenian Church, visit the Hayartun Center and preserve national heritage. At the end, children played egg tapping – a traditional Easter game.