On April 4, 2015 a photography exhibition “Heirs of the Armenian GenocideSurvivors” dedicated to the 100^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was held in the Hayartun Center. The exhibition was organized at the initiative of the photographer Sergey Fidanyan, with the support of the Hayartun center and the Armenian Diocese. The photographs were provided with backgroundstories of the survivors, who found shelter in Georgia (in Armenian, Georgian and Russian), telling the stories of 34 heirs of the Armenian Genocide survivors.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, counselor from the RA Embassy in Georgia, Karen Melikyan, clergy, community representatives, members from the Armenian community from Akhaltsikhe and other guests attended the event.

The director of the Cultural Department and also the head of the Hayartun Center, Levon Chidilyan, refered to the goal of the exhibition that is to remember the Genocide through terrifying and touching stories, to condemn the crime and demand compensation.

The speakers Van Baiburtyan, Karen Melikyan, Enok Tadevosyan, Henrikh Muradyan, Yuri Mechitov, Giovanni Vepkhvadze, Ruben Rukhikyan, Samvel Mkrtchyan, Anahit Bostanjyan, Victoria Maksoeva, and Irena Ohanjanova highly appreciated author’s idea to show the world thecommitted crimes and the strength of the Armenian gene through the stories of survivors and their descendants. Manana Karapetyan (teacher) expressed her feelings by reading a part from the poem “The Unsilenceable Belfry” by Paruyr Sevak.

Sergey Fidanyan thanked the Primate of the Armenian Diocese and the Hayartun Center for provided support and called his exhibition a small contribution to the commemoration of 100^th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and told about his intention to conduct this exhibition in Javakheti and Yerevan.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese highlighted the role of Diaspora in recognizing and condemning the genocide. He called upon to invoke responsibility of the country which organized the genocide and be grateful to those nations who provided shelter for survivors. Thanks to their help the heirs of the genocide survivors continue to live and work for the welfare of their homeland and host countries.

The photographs and background stories will be published in a book.