| Opening of Rafael Javakhk Gharslyan Educational Cultural and Youth Center in Ninotsminda |
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The breath of winter permeated Ninotsminda and snow covered Javakhk highlands. It seemed like the hazy sky and frozen roads would put a crimp in solemn opening of newly-built educational, cultural and youth center in Ninotsminda. But it only seemed… On November 30 a holiday was celebrated in Ninotsminda. Many guests from Tbilisi, different Georgian and Armenian regions, and nearby villages had arrived here. The day started with a morning service dedicated to Commemoration of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew at Surb Sargis Church. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Hovhannes Manoukian, RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan, Taron Shagoyan, Caucasian Regional Department Head at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari, the leaders of the creative unions, functioning under the auspices of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, and others attended the ceremony. The Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, through the offices of the Vicar-General of Javakhk Supreme Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan, spiritual shepherd of Ninotsminda Priest Armash Poghosyan and spiritual shepherd of Akhalkalaki Priest Tatev Marukyan conducted the religious ceremony. After the service many people headed for newly built center in Ninotsminda. President of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia Gevorg Snkhchyan opened the event. He presented deceased Rafael Gharslyan, who during his lifetime had created 5 books including poetry and prose. The speaker underlined the charitable activities of Armen Gharslyan and his brother Tatul Gharslyan, and mentioned that the center was named after their uncle Rafael Javakhk. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Hovhannes Manoukian underlined that culture, language and faith play a central role in the maintenance of the national identity. He highly appreciated the function of the cultural house in the preservation of the national identity and marked the mission of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia in this function. RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan extended greetings from RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, he highly appreciated the charitable activities of Gharslyan brothers and underlined that construction of similar institutions especially outside of Armenia would create the centers for the preservation of Armenian culture and national identity. He also marked Armenian-Georgia On behalf of local authorities Ninotsminda Municipality Gamgebeli Gagik Gharslyan welcomed the guests; he expressed his gratitude to the audience and benefactors Gharslayn brothers. He expressed his support for all initiatives related to education, culture and youth education. The Head of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan highly appreciated personified by Gharslyan brothers human activities, endowed with grace and mercy, and emphasized in particular that they had repaired the hospital and church roof, as well as built Gharslyan Center. His Grace as well recalled other benefactors – Mantashev’s descendants, attending the event Sos Sahakyan, Aram Manosyan, Samvel Agekyan and others, on whose donations centers are being built, where the cordiality lives, the Word of God is heard, and new generation learns mother tongue and history, our culture and art. The Head of the Diocese highly appreciated and blessed the good work of the clergy of the Vicariate of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Samtskhe-Javakheti and also praised the Vicar-General of Javakhk Supreme Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan. On behalf of the Diocese His Grace gave memorable gifts to benefactors brothers Armen and Tatul Gharslyan. Local writer Maxim Arzumanyan expressed gratitude on behalf of Ninotsminda residents and gave his book as a present to the “Hayartun” Center. Larisa Nanayan, Ani and Lilit Mkrtchyan, the members of group for extracurricular reading at the Youth House (headed by Satenik Snkhchyan), recited the poems by Rafael Gharslyan. Benefactor Armen Gharslyan and Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of Rafael Javakhk Gharslyan Educational Cultural and Youth Center in Ninotsminda. The Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia and the Vicar-General of Javakhk Supreme Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan conducted Drnbatsek (Opening of the Doors) ceremony. Rafael Javakhk Gharslyan Educational Cultural and Youth Center in Ninotsminda welcomed its first visitors with exhibition of works by Armenian miniaturists of Tbilisi Meruzhan Shahumyan and Gohar Hakobyan, from Ninotsminda – Gamlet Aroyan, Hmayak Grigoryan grandfather and Hmayak Grigoryan grandson, from Akhalkalaki – Haykazun Karagulyan and Sergey Unanyan. Celebratory actions in Ninotsminda continued at the local Cultural House. RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan awarded Albert Isoyan, the member of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia in Javakhk, with RA Ministry of Diaspora and the Mkhitarists “Hakob Meghapart” medal, while Press Speaker of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia Susanna Khachaturyan was awarded with thanksgiving diploma. Through joint efforts of the coordinator of the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia Levon Chidilyan, artistic director Pavel Oganezov, technical coordinator Valera Badalyan, a splendid concert featuring Tbilisi dance ensemble “Jeyran” of the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia(choreogr The celebrations in Ninotsminda were held in the atmosphere of warmth and hospitality.
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