On November 21, 2018, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan presided over the first session of the commission for community jubilee events coordination, dedicate to the 150th anniversary of Hovhannes Tumanyan and Komitas Vardapet (celibate priest). The session took place at the Jinishian Memorial Hall of the "Hayartun" Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.
In attendance were Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to Georgia Arthur Sargsyan, heads of Tbilisi community structures, representatives from Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki.
After the Lord's Prayer, the Diocesan Primate particularly mentioned that the year is jubilee and the events dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Hovhannes Tumanyan and Komitas Vardapet will also be held in Georgia – Tbilisi, Batumi, Rustavi, Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda and in other places where Armenian live. The aim of the events is to present these two great figures of the Armenian literature and culture to Georgian society, religious and national communities living in Georgia as well as to the Armenian community, once again publicizing the ancient Armenian culture and art.
His Grace presented the members of the committee which will work for the proper celebration of jubilees and includes representatives of the Armenian community structures in Tbilisi, as well as representatives from Armenian-populated regions.
Afterwards, the spokesperson of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia represented point after point all the large-scale events project, which included translations into Georgian of fairy tales and quatrains of Hovhannes Tumanyan, publications and presentations, festive evenings dedicated to Hovhannes Tumanyan and Komitas Vardapet, theatrical performances, meetings with Armenian and Georgian writers, exhibitions. The events will be organized and implemented by the efforts of the educational, cultural and youth centers of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, "House of Hovhannes Tumanyan" Center for Science and Culture in Tbilisi, youth centers in Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki, community organizations, Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan, "Vrastan" ("Georgia") newsletter, Armenian schools and with the cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, Ministry of Education and Culture of Georgia, Ministry of Civic Integration and Reconciliation of Georgia, Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia, house-museum of Hovhannes Tumanyan in Yerevan, Vano Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire.
The discussion of the project was interesting, saturated with numerous additions and suggestions made by the commission members.
It was decided that the commission members should send the planned program of events to the secretariat of the commission by e-mail. It was also decided that the next session will be held in the first half of December.
The jubilee events in the Armenian community of Georgia will be launched on February 19, 2019, with a visit to Tbilisi Pantheon of the Armenian Writers and Public Figures "Khojivank" on the occasion of Hovhannes Tumanyan's birthday and laying flowers on the tomb of the Poet of All Armenians.