During the visit to Georgia, RA President Serzh Sargsyan and his accompanying delegates visited on June 19 the Holy Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi where they were greeted by Prelate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, His Eminence, Father, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, clergymen, diplomats of the RA Embassy in Georgia and members of the Georgian-Armenian community.

After lighting candles at the ancient Armenian church, the RA President laid flowers near the cross-stone placed in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the churchyard with the accompaniment of clergymen.

President Sargsyan visited “Hayartun” Educational-Cultural and Youth Center of the Diocese where he and the high-ranking delegates were greeted by the children attending the Movses Khorenatsi Pre-School with welcoming remarks and a performance of the Armenian and Georgian national anthems. The students also performed songs with the dhol and duduk for the guests from Armenia.

At the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall, the delegates were greeted by leaders and officials of Georgian-Armenian organizations and members of the community to the sounds of the song “Yerevan” performed by the “Nerses Shnorhali” Ensemble. The President also viewed Arman Torosyan’s and Hrachya Safaryan’s personal exhibition entitled “Javakhk with its Churches”.

The Prelate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese presented the worthy Tbilisi-Armenians, leaders of organizations and talked about the “Hayartun” Cultural Center, the activities of which are aimed at preserving the native language in Georgia and developing the national culture. His Holiness also talked about the renovation of the Petros Adamyan State Theater, the preservation and restoration of church heritage in Georgia, cultural and educational issues, attached importance to the effective cooperation with the RA Ministries of Diaspora, Culture, Education and Science and Sport and Youth Affairs and the Georgian-Armenians’ participation in those ministries’ programs. The Prelate also wished the Mother Homeland prosperity, as well as longevity to the RA President.

The RA President expressed his satisfaction with the activities of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese within the community and wished success for the preservation of spiritual and cultural values in Georgia and the deepening of the Armenian-Georgian friendship.

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