The four-day camping event, which is part of the “Training Program for Young Leaders”, was launched in the Georgian residence of Tserovan on July 16^th. During their stay at the camp, 36 youth from Armenian-populated regions and villages of Georgia will participate in a training course for young leaders of the respective communities and will hear lectures devoted to the history of the Armenian people and the Church, the Armenian historical and cultural monuments in Tbilisi, the rights of ethnic and religious minorities, as well as civil society and local self-government.

The program is organized by the youth department of “Hayartun” Center of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and under the patronage of the RA Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the RA Ministry of Diaspora and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

The solemn opening ceremony of the program was attended by RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan; Primate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan; Director of the Tolerance Center of the People’s Defender of Georgia Beka Mindiashvili; spiritual pastor of the Armenians in Marneuli and the nearby villages, Priest Movses Ashuryan; spiritual pastor of the Armenians in Tsalka and the nearby villages, Priest Movses Manukyan; Advisor of the RA Embassy in Georgia Artak Kalachyan, as well as leaders of the “Hayartun” Center of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and officials.

The program began with the Lord’s Prayer and was followed by a speech by head of the youth department of “Hayartun” Center, Deacon Gevorg Antonyan, who spoke about the goal of the program and the significance of holding the program through a camping event.

RA Ambassador to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan expressed appreciation of the program and voiced hope that it would be ongoing since he is consistent with the consolidation of the potential of Armenians in Armenian-populated regions and the reinforcement of activities aimed at preserving the national identity in different areas. Hovhannes Manukyan also touched upon the contributions of the large Georgian-Armenian community to Armenian-Georgian relations and the preservation and deepening of the Armenian national identity in Georgia.

Coordinator of “Hayartun” Center of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese Levon Chidilyan, the Diocese’s press speaker Susanna Khachatryan and correspondent of the legal division Levon Isakhanyan and others greeted the youth, wished that they enjoyed their stay at the camp and that they work with more vigor.

In his lecture devoted to “The role of the people’s defender in the protection of the rights of ethnic and religious minorities in Georgia”, Director of the Tolerance Center of the Office of the People’s Defender of Georgia Beka Mindiashvili talked in detail about the rights of ethnic and religious minorities and attached importance to the activities of the two councils representing 105 organizations of ethnic minorities and 24 religious unions adjunct to the Office of the Ombudsman. After the lecture, the speaker answered the questions concerning the youth.

Primate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan gave his blessing to the youth participating in the four-day camping event in Tserovani on the sidelines of the “Training Program for Young Leaders”. Mirzakhanyan highly appreciated the goal of the program, which is to make cultural life more active in Armenian-populated regions and to help Armenians integrate into Georgian society. He also praised the training program for young leaders, which is aimed at helping Armenian youth become full-fledged citizens of Georgia and good Armenians for the Mother Homeland and Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness expressed words of gratitude to all the supporters, sponsors and organizers for helping turn this program into a reality.

During their stay at the camp, the Armenian youth will have meetings with Deputy of the Parliament of Georgia Ruslan Poghosyan, State Minister for Reintegration Paata Zakareishvili and Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia Tamar Kintsurashvili. The courses will end on July 19^th.

Press divan of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese