On November 29, 2016, the RA Ministry of Diaspora held a teleconference with representatives of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The objective of the structure that unites Armenians dispersed around the world was through direct communication to learn more about the activities of the Armenian community of Georgia, particularly the Armenian community of Tbilisi, the current pressing issues concerning the community and goals for the future.

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan transmitted the welcoming speech of RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan addressed to the participants of the teleconference. Srapionyan assured that teleconferences serve as an effective way of identifying and discussing the projects aimed at preservation of the Armenian language, development of the national culture and the pan-Armenian programs implementation.

Presenting the current state of the Armenian community of Tbilisi, Director of the Hayartun Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan, discussed the danger of assimilation of the Armenians of Tbilisi, the city which used to be one of the main Armenian cultural and intellectual centers. Levon Chidilyan expressed concern over small number of students at Armenian schools, spoke about the Nersisyan school as a good example of the preservation of national identity, and the need for the establishment of an Armenian private school to help solve the issue.

The participants of the teleconference also touched upon the distribution of textbooks provided to the Armenian schools in Georgia.

During the teleconference, the representatives of the Armenian community of Tbilisi expressed gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora for the provided support, teacher training courses, the “Ari Tun” Program; they discussed in detail the construction and renovation of the house of Hovhannes Tumanyan in Tbilisi, the “Tumanyan Vernatun of Culture and Art”, the opening of which is planned for spring.

Reference was made to the fact that the Armenians of Georgia have also joined the “What are YOU doing for Karabakh?” pan-Armenian movement and regularly organize pilgrimages to Artsakh, through mutual collaboration and joint projects.

The employees of the RA Ministry of Diaspora promised to support the Armenian community in the issues regarding the preservation of the national identity. An agreement was reached on providing more young Armenians of Georgia to participate in the “Ari Tun” Program. The employees of the RA Ministry of Diaspora promised to help to organize the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Hovhannes Tumanyan, as well as to activate participation of the Armenian community of Georgia in the pan-Armenian programs and projects that are carried out by the Ministry of Diaspora.

In his closing remarks, RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan suggested to organize similar teleconferences on a regular basis in order to contribute to strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation.