On March 24, the RA Ministry of Diaspora held a teleconference with representatives of the Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center in Batumi. Among the participants representing the Ministry of Diaspora were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, Deputy Minister Serzh Srapionyan, Chief of Staff Firdus Zakaryan and employees.

Among the participants from Batumi were Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Batumi Yeghishe Sargsyan, pastor of Ajaria, Fr. Priest Ararat Gumbalyan, Director of the Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center Sona Hovhannisyan, head of the youth wing in Batumi Diana Yeghiazaryan, teachers, journalists, lawyers, leaders and members of organizations and pupils.

In her welcoming remarks, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan particularly stated the following: “The recent active efforts of the Armenian community in Batumi make me very happy and excited. Of course, the Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center has a major mission and plays a major role, and it is the major link between the community and Armenia. We must set the objective to make this Center set an example for all the Armenian communities of the CIS countries. To achieve this goal, every member of the community and every member of the Center must accept the motto “Let’s Speak Armenian at Home” and must be aware that the school and the church are also home, meaning home is also where there is an air of Armenianness. It is important for the Center to create professional groups since these groups will lay the foundation for the organizing of the community. This will also help make the Armenian community of Batumi one of the best Armenian communities,” the Minister noted.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan highly appreciated the participation of the Armenian community of Ajaria in the programs and projects of the Ministry of Diaspora and stated that the Ministry was expecting more active participation this year since a Diaspora Armenian becomes attached to the homeland forever after even one visit to the homeland.

Afterwards, members of the Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center presented their completed activities and emphasized that the community was becoming an Armenian-speaking community thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Diaspora and the Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center. “The Alexander Mantashyants Educational-Cultural and Youth Center has also become a center for consolidation of the members of the community, the establishment of which was an inappreciable contribution to preservation of the Armenian identity. This also goes to show the goal-oriented activities of the Ministry of Diaspora since the establishment of the community provided the new generation of Armenians with the opportunity to return and stay clung to their roots. Imagine, the premises of the Center already seem small since the number of members and students is growing,” pastor of Ajaria, Fr. Priest Ararat Gumbalyan stated.

Head of the Department of All-Armenian Programs at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Gagik Gyanjumyan presented the programs and projects of the Ministry.

The current issues of the Armenian community of Ajaria and the Center were discussed. The employees of the Ministry expressed willingness to help the Center solve all issues, contributing to further strengthening of relations and improvement of community life. An agreement was reached on replenishing the library of the Center with children’s books and on providing the Center’s choir with relevant music books.