On September 15, 2017, the new 2017/18 academic year started in Georgia’s educational institutions. Currently, there are 132 educational institutions in Georgia teaching in Armenian, one of which is a public school in Mirzoevka village of Marneuli region. There is a mixed population in the village, including Armenians, Georgians, Azeris, Assyrians. The school, which has only 50 students, had been dilapidated.

Under the mediation of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia the Shen Georgia Concern renovated the first floor of the school building.

The first day of school was festive in Mirzoevka village. Mushegh Lalayan, RPA Vice President; MP Hayk Babukhanyan; Deputy Director of Shen Georgia Concern, Vachagan Asatryan; the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan; Rev. Fr. Samvel Torosyan; the councilor at the RA Embassy in Georgia, Artak Grabsky; had come to congratulate the schoolchildren on the beginning of the new academic year.

The guests, accompanied by School Principal Vanik Arusyan and the Principal of the public school in Tsereteli village, an administrative unite, Marina Macharashvili, watched the renovated first floor of the school building, school desks, chairs and other items.

The editor of “Vrastan” (Georgia) newspaper Van Bayburtyan; Karine Manukyan, the coordinator of national school projects at the ministry of Education and Science of Georgia; stressed that Mother Armenia keeps in center of attention an Armenian upbringing of the children of the nation living outside the country; highlighted the assistance provided by the business companies; noted that the Georgian authorities have caring attitude toward representatives of other minorities, particularly the education of Armenian children in their mother tongue. Deputy Director of Shen Georgia Concern, Vachagan Asatryan; transmitted to the attendees words of congratulations of Samvel Beglaryan, Director of Shen Georgia Concern, and promised to renovate the second floor of the school building in order to provide the schoolchildren with the opportunity to study at a decent and renovated school.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan offered his blessings to the students, teachers, parents, spoke about the importance of education and entering into the realm of knowledge, the foundation of which is laid at school, he urged to learn their mother language and the official language of the country, to grow a worthy citizen and a worthy child of Georgia and Armenia.

School Principal Vanik Arusyan presented the first graders with computers.

The festive event concluded with songs, dances and recitation presented by the schoolchildren.