On July 30, 2017, the students of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri arrived in Tbilisi for a three-day visit. The purpose of the visit was to let the teenagers from Armenia know about the Armenian traces in Tbilisi, to establish a dialogue between the students of the “Hayartun” Center (Armenian Diocese in Georgia) and the students of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri. The “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri, established only three years ago, was opened with the blessing of His Holiness Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and operates under the subordination of Rev. Fr. Vardan Navasardyan, Director of the Christian Education Center of Mother See.

At the invitation of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Center’s Children and Youth Choir was chosen from eight groups operating at the Center and was lucky to arrive in Tbilisi, led by Director Astghik Yedigaryan, choirmaster Sona Zarafyan and Lusine Ghukasyan accompanying on the piano.

On the first day the guests received the blessing and kind wishes of the Diocesan Primate, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, at the “Hayartun” Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. Being introduced to the activities of the “Hayartun” Center, the Directors of the Centers in Tbilisi and Gyumri, Astghik Yedigaryan and Levon Chidilyan presented the activities and the vision of the Centers, the preschools’ and creative group’s progress, the problems facing the Centers and discussed possibilities for cooperation.

During their visit to Tbilisi, the students of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri and the people accompanying them, accompanied by thoughtful Deacon Gevork Antonyan, visited the Tbilisi Pantheon of the Armenian Writers and Public Figures “Khojivank”, and decorated with flowers the tombs of the Armenian greats, lit candles at the Saint Gevorg Cathedral, toured the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi (Georgian Orthodox Church), Jvari Monastery and the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta( former capital of Georgia), were impressed by the puppets of the Gary Davtyan Culture House and the hospitality of the headmistress of the cultural house, Zhanna Davtyan, enjoyed a picturesque panoramic view of Tbilisi at night.

The Children and Youth Choir was founded about a year and a half ago, but has already participated in the Pan-Armenian Festival of Children and Youth Choirs and among 70 groups was named the winner. The choir gave a concert in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church. The attendees were impressed with the high level of children’s readiness, their mastery and performance of pieces of classical music and religious songs. The finishing touch of a three-day tour was the joint performance of “Hayastan” song by the members of the Children and Youth Choir of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri and the Saint Nerses Shnorhali Choir of the Hayartun Center, who had already become friends.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan conveyed his blessings to the attendees. The Bishop praised the concert, and the music performance of the choir named “a picture of the resurrection”, as their pure singing performance was a struggle for life and a call for creation. As a nice souvenir of happy days spent in Tbilisi, the Diocesan Primate presented the wall clock with a picture of multi-confessional Tbilisi to the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri. The Director of the Center, Astghik Yedigaryan, on behalf of the accompanying teachers, parents and students, extended her deep appreciation to the Primate, the clergy and lay members of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, for warm reception and unforgettable days spent in Georgia.

The students of the “Hayordats Tun” Armenian School of Gyumri returned to Armenia with bright impressions, in high spirits and hoping to meet their friends again.