On June 1, 2015, the “Hayartun” center of the Armenian Diocese hosted an event dedicated to the International Day for Protection of Children. The event was initiated by the Association of Armenian Women of Georgia “Shushanik”, with the support of the Saint Movses Khorenatsi Preschool and the Armenian Diocese.

The students and teachers from Akhalkalaki, under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Tatev Maroukian, first visited Gari Davtyan Puppet Culture Center, where the director Zhanna Davtyan told the children the history of the center and presented a beautiful concert with the dolls and puppets. Then Mrs. Davtyan treated the guests with strawberry cake and other sweets.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the Hayartun Center was thematically decorated, presenting the works of professional puppet-makers Laura Khachaturova, Armen Hovhannisyan and amateursYana Vardanyan andNina Meliksetyan.

An exhibition of hand-made dolls made by the students of the “Apagai Tun” (“House of Future”) aesthetical education center (Director – Satenik Mahtesyan) and by the children from the “Nerses Shnorhali” Choir became part of the event.

The children that gathered in the festively decorated hall were involved in different fun activities, such as drawing on faces suggestedby the teacher Oksana Sharoyan, competition organized by the teacher Oksana Osipovaand dancing.

The Primate of the Armenian Dioceses gave a congratulatory speech with blessings and good wishes.Other guests, including Rev. Fr. Tatev Maroukian, Poetess Anahit Bostanjyan and the Director of the “Hayartun” Center, Levon Chidilyan, also congratulated children and wished them happy childhood, health and peace.

The “Nerses Shnorhali” Choir (Choirmaster – Maria Abulyan, pianist Karen Mirzoyan) and solo performers Ani Torosyan, Ruzanna Mikaeliants, Ani Hovhannisyan and Kristine Khachaturova contributed to the festive mood during the celebration of the International Day for Protection of Children in the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.