In summer months the doors of the Alexander Mantashev Educational Cultural Youth Center in Batumi (Armenian Diocese in Georgia) were open to anyone. The Center expanded its activities and hosted festivals, receptions, meetings and artistic events. But that did not prevent the Center’s teaching staff, led by Sona Hovhannisyan, since the very first days of September, from being ready for the start of the new 2017/18 academic year.

At first, classes began in the creative groups of the Center. On September 2, drama circle, recitation classes, led by Satenik Danielyan, and the Heghnar Dance Group, led by Merine Poghosyan, welcomed their students.

Rehearsing every day was very important for the members of Aghbyur Youth Vocal Ensemble and choirmaster Ruzanna Hovhannisyan, as they were going to participate in the “We Sing Komitas” Pan-Armenian Festival in Armenia, and wanted to show a good performance.

On September 7, 2017, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Kindergarten welcomed the Armenian children of Batumi. Almost 30 students from the junior and senior groups, following the cry of the newcomers and a glimpse of bustling on the first day, besides games and other entertainment, together with Sona Hovhannisyan are preparing for an open lesson entitled “Golden Autumn”.

On September 9, the St. Mesrop Mashtots Sunday School in Batumi and the “Sahak Parthev” Sunday School in Ozurgeti welcomed their students. The schools have more than 50 students; however there is only one class in Ozurgeti. Through the efforts of teachers Satenik Danielyan an Elena Srabionyan, the students at these schools, besides learning literacy in Armenian, are preparing for planned events, the first one of which is an open lesson entitled “Our Greats”.