On June 18, 2016, the Alexander Mantashev Educational Cultural Youth Center in Batumi at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia hosted a reporting concert.

The delegation from Tbilisi, led by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, had specially arrived for the occasion. Members of delegation included the Director of the Administrative Department of the Diocese, Karen Yeritsyan; Eugenia Markosyan, Director of the Educational Department of the Diocese; Innessa Sarukhanyan, the Head of Georgia’s Armenian Community Census Center.

The people present took keen interest in the paintings and handiworks of the students of the Children’s Art Studio, which were decorating the hall.

In attendance were Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan, Pastor of Armenian community in Adjara, Guria and Imereti; the president of the Union of Armenians of Ajara, Giorgi Vardanyan; Artur Hovhannisyan, the editor of the “Aghbyur” electronic newspaper; community officials, intellectuals, the Armenian community representatives, the students, parents and teachers. The event was opened with the Lord’s Prayer and performance of the national anthem.

The Director of the Center, Sona Hovhannisyan welcomed the attendees and spoke about the activities of the Educational Cultural Youth Center, which had been established only eight months ago. Highlighting that the Centre’s work is aimed at the promotion of Armenian upbringing of the new generation, the preservation of the mother language, passing on the Armenian identity to future generations, the Director of the Centre gave a report on the activities of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Kindergarten (teachers - Diana Hakobyan, Karine Markaryan, Gayane Galustyan), the St. Mesrop Mashtots one-day Armenian school in Batumi (teacher - Satenik Danielyan), Kobuleti’s “Vramshapuh” one-day Armenian language school (teacher – Gayane Vardanyan), Aghbyur Youth Vocal Ensemble (the choir master - Ruzanna Hovhannisyan), Heghnar Dance Group (Choreographer - Merine Poghosyan), a drama circle, recitation classes (teacher - Satenik Danielyan), Children’s Art Studio (teacher – Marietta Apetyan), which presented a reporting concert.

To warm applause, the kindergarten students wonderfully recited poems, the program included performances by the students of the vocal ensemble, dance group and recitation classes. A drama circle staged a performance based on Hovhannes Tumanyan’s poem “Evening” and short story “Gikor”.

The event was summarized by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, who made closing remarks and offered his blessings. The Diocesan Primate praised the activities of the Center; the work of the Centre’s staff led by the Director of the Centre he named “a patriotic mission outside Armenia aimed at the promotion of Armenian upbringing of the new generation”.

A solemn ceremony of handing out of certificates to graduates of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Kindergarten, the St. Mesrop Mashtots one-day Armenian school in Batumi and Kobuleti’s “Vramshapuh” one-day Armenian language school took place.

The reporting concert presented through the efforts of students and teachers became a proof of the Centre’s work imbued with a national spirit.

Joint meeting between the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the delegation members from Tbilisi, Pastor of the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) in Batumi, and the Center’s teaching staff proved fruitful. The exchange of experience took place; curriculum issues and concerns, the issues of common interest and cooperation were discussed during the meeting. In order to start the Armenian community census in Batumi the decision was made to attract young volunteers to the process, who will register the Armenian community in Ajara to complement general information.