The Armenian youth of Tbilisi, who are united around the Armenian Church, attend Sunday school and participate in different training courses and programs at the Hayartun Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia to stay clung to their roots, of course, had heard a lot about deceased puppeteer Gary Davtyan and the family puppet theatre. However, they had never had a chance to visit the house and to meet the puppets.

On June 28, 2017, at the initiative of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, a group of young Armenian activists from Tbilisi, accompanied by the Youth Department Director, Valery Badalyan, Youth Programs Coordinator, Nina Seropova, operator and photographer Gevorg Poghosov, paid a visit to the Gary Davtyan Culture House. The headmistress of the cultural house, Zhanna Davtyan told the youth about Master Gary, who had breathed life into his “kind, beautiful and smart” puppet characters. Referring to the idea to set up a puppet theatre – the light shining in the darkness - in the difficult and challenging days of the 90s’, Mrs. Zhanna highlighted that the main purpose had been to inspire people, instill goodness and through the beautiful puppet theatre to put a smile on people’s faces. A performance of a play based on the Armenian folk-tale “Nazar the Brave”, which reflected the spirit of the times, got warm reception from the audience.

The headmistress of the theatre presented excerpts from the parts of Hago, Anchap and other puppet characters. The mood reached its climax when Hago puppet character, voiced by Levon Chidilyan, recited Gevorg Emin’s “Zarmanali Hay” (“Amazing Armenian”).

The youth were impressed by the spirit of this flamboyant house, a multinational atmosphere, kindness and Armenian spirit of the puppet characters, which the cozy and modest Gary Davtyan Culture House in greenery and flowers, located in the old Avlabari neighborhood, included.

The Department of Youth Affairs of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia conveys its appreciation to the headmistress of the House, Zhanna Davtyan, for her warm reception and wonderful presentation of the mastery of puppeteer Gary Davtyan.