The exhibition-contest of Christmas trees made from recycled materials that was organized by esthetic education teacher, Tamar Sulkhanishvili, in cooperation with Hayartun Center (Director Levon Chidilyan) and with Children’s Art Studio (Teacher Tamar Sulkhanishvili), became an original message for environmental preservation. The goal was to show that the New Year can be decorated not with cut down Christmas trees but with the original ones made from recycled materials.

The exhibition-contest was lunched on December 13, 2014, in the Great Hall of Georgia’s General Assembly’s National Library. This festive occasion was attended by the employees of Hayartun Center, by directors and teachers from different schools of the capital, by parents and children. Christmas trees made from or decorated by colored paper, multicolor threads, pasta, newspapers, plastic spoons and bottles, cones and buttons; they were demonstrating the unlimited imagination of children and their ability to create beautiful things.

More than 60 works were presented at the exhibition-contest by 49 participants, including children form public schools, two art studios and from a studio for children with special needs. The respectable jury, chaired by famous artist Giovanni Vepkhvadze, was evaluating the presented works.

The visitors viewed the exhibited Christmas trees with admiration and amazement to the lively music; till then, the jury made its decision. While highly appreciating all the presented works, the first, the second and the third prizes were received by Tbilisi’s number 104 school’s student Telman Mkhitaryan for his Christmas tree made from ordinary pasta, student from children’s art studio Nikita Bezhanov for his Christmas tree made from jeans and a student from organization for children with special needs “Ia”, Tina Mamulashvili for her Christmas tree made from paper and cones, respectively. All the participants received certificates and presents.

Telman Mkhitaryan, who won the first prize, presented his Christmas tree as a gift to the National Library.