Winter was in the air in Ninotsminda city of Javakheti. It seemed as though the foggy sky and the icy roads would hinder the solemn opening of the newly built cultural and educational center in Ninotsminda, but it only seemed…

Everyone in Ninotsminda was in a festive mood on November 30. There were guests from Tbilisi, as well as different regions and adjacent villages of Georgia and Armenia. The day began with a morning liturgy dedicated to the Day of Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew at Saint Sargis Armenian Church. Among the attendees were RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Hovhannes Manukyan, RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan, Head of the Division for the Caucasus at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Taron Shagoyan, as well as poet, translator Givi Shahnazar, leaders of creative unions under the auspices of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese and others. The sacred ceremony was held under the direction of Prelate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and with the participation of Prelate of the General Vicariate of Javakheti, Archimandrite Babgen Salbiyan, spiritual pastor of Ninotsminda, Priest Armash Poghosyan and spiritual pastor of Akhalkalak, Priest Tatev Marukyan.

The liturgy was followed by a march to the newly built Center in Ninotsminda.

The solemn opening ceremony included a speech by President of Vernatun Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia Gevorg Snkhchyan. The latter presented the biography of the late Rafael Ghaslyan, who is known to readers for his five books of poems and prose. The speaker appreciated the charity acts of Armen Gharslyan and his brother, Tatul Gharslyan and naming the Center Rafael Javakhk.

In his speech, RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia Hovhannes Manukyan attached importance to the fundamental role of faith, culture and language in the development of national identity, highly appreciated the function of the culture home in preserving the national identity and attached importance to the mission of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Church in regard to that.

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan transmitted the welcoming remarks of RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, highly appreciated the Brothers Gharslyan’s charity and attached importance to the construction of such institutions outside of Armenia as homes for the Armenian cultural identity and national preservation. Srapionyan also attached importance to Armenian-Georgian cultural relations, which stem from the roots of Christianity and trace back to centuries.

On behalf of the local authorities, Head of the Ninotsminda regional council Gagik Gharslyan greeted the guests and congratulated the gathered and the benefactors, Brothers Gharslyan. Gharslyan expressed his support to all initiatives for education, culture and youth education.

Prelate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan highly appreciated the Gharlsyans’ benevolent acts and particularly attached importance to the fact that they built a hospital, renovated the Church’s roof and opened the Gharslyan Center. His Holiness also touched upon benefactors, including representatives of Mantashov’s generation, Sos Sahakyan, Aram Sanosyan, Samvel Aghekyan and others who were attending the event. They help build culture and spiritual homes with their donations. Those homes are where one can hear the Word of God and where the generations are taught Armenian language, history, culture and the arts.

The Prelate praised and blessed the good deeds of the spiritual servants of the Vicariate of the General Prelacy of Javakheti and praised Vicar of the General Prelacy of Samtskhe-Javakheti of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Archimandrite Babgen Salbiyan. On behalf of the Diocese, the Prelate presented brothers Armen and Tatul Gharslyan with gifts.

On behalf of the citizens of Ninotsminda, local writer Maxim Arzumanyan expressed gratitude and donated his book to Hayartun Center. Members of the Youth Center’s extracurricular reciting club (headed by Satenik Snkhchyan) Larisa Nanayan, Ani and Lilit Mkrtchyan recited the poems of Rafael Gharslyan.

The ribbon opening the Rafael Javakhk Gharslyan Educational, Cultural and Youth Center of Ninotsminda was cut by benefactor Armen Gharslyan and Father, Archimandrite Babgen Salbiyan. The Center was blessed by Prelate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, Archimandrite Babgen Salbiyan.

The first event held at the educational, cultural and youth center was an exhibition showcasing the works of Tbilisi-Armenian miniature painters Gohar Hakobyan and Meruzhan Shahumyan, Hamlet Aroyan, Hmayak Grigoryan and his grandson Hmayak from Ninotsminda, as well as Haykazun Gharagulyan and Sergey Unanyan from Akhalkalak.

The festivities in Ninotsminda continued at the local culture home where RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan granted member of Vernatun Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia Albert Isoyan the “Hakob Meghapart” Medal set by the RA Ministry of Diaspora and the Mekhitarist Congregation and a Certificate of Appreciation of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to press speaker of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese Susanna Khachatryan.

The event included a big concert organized through the combined efforts of Director of the Cultural Division of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, coordinator of Hayartun Center Levon Chidilyan; artistic director Pavel Oganegov and technical coordinator Valery Badalyan. The concert featured performances by Jeyran Dance Ensemble of Hayartun Center of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese (dance instructor Svetlana Yeritsyan), individual performers Ani Ghushchyan, Anna Poghosova, Nina Karapetyan-Gevorkova, Diana Movsisyan, Henrich Petrosyan, Vano Mkrtchyan (duduk), the Gugark and Parvana Ethnographic Ensembles of Ninotsminda (directors Lusine Mzikyan, Sevak Bdoyan and Zepyur Gharslyan) and a group of dholists (Saro Gharslyan).

The festive day in Ninotsminda was held on a warm day and in a warm atmosphere.