Armenians of Georgia celebrated the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence.

On September 21, 2016, a Prayer for the Republic was offered in all the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The Diocesan Primate, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan presided over the service in the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi.

A festive mood prevailed in the Galouste Gyulbenkyan Hall of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, which hosted a celebration event on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of regaining of Independence. Diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia, the clergy, Tbilisi’s Armenian community officials, intellectuals and representatives from civil society took their seats in the hall.

The event was opened with the national anthem of the Republic of Armenia, which was performed by the St. Nerses Shorhali Youth Vocal Ensemble.

The Chairman of the Union of Armenian Intellectuals of Georgia, Yenok Tadevosyan, delivered his address and spoke about the Armenian statehood, which is young but established enough, emphasized patriotic deeds, devotion and blessed memory of Armenian soldiers fighting during the four-day war.

Armenia's military attaché to Georgia, Colonel Samvel Ramazyan, referred to the pages of the history of the Armenian people, which were marked with struggle. The victory of Hayk the Forefather (the legendary patriarch and founder of the Armenian nation) over Bell became the leitmotif of his speech. The Colonel of Armenia’s Armed Forces spoke about chronicles of heroic deeds, Armenian diplomacy and foreign policy, the loss of statehood and reestablishment of statehood 600 years later, he paid tribute to the memory of fallen heroes, and expressed his pride to see the strength of the Armenian spirit and determination to make the freedom of Armenia and Artsakh irreversible.

In his closing remarks, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan blessed the attendees. The Bishop congratulated the people present on the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s Independence, and stated that though during the years of independence the life was not easy and peaceful, however they have proved that only Armenians must determine the destiny of the nation. The Diocesan Primate stressed the important role of the Armenian Army in the preservation of Armenian statehood and in the struggle for Artsakh’s independence. Bishop Vazgen highlighted the fact that the native independent statehood had provided an opportunity to Armenian people worldwide to express their unity and the potential of consolidation around patriotic programs and national aspirations.

The event included the screening of documentary about the declaration of Armenian independence and Artsakh liberation struggle, as well as the footage of military parade highlighting the 25th Anniversary of Independence on Republic Square in Yerevan. The Hayartun Center’s St. Nerses Shorhali Youth Vocal Ensemble and solo singers Nina Karapetyan, Anna Poghosova-Badalyan, Genrikh Petrosyan performed during the event. Levon Chidilyan recited Yeghishe Charents’s poem “Yes Im Anush Hayasyani…” and Marina Kirakosyan-Mosesova recited her own poems dedicated to Armenia and Artsakh, which was very impressive.