On October 20-23, 2016, with the blessing of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, at the initiative of the Youth Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and under the auspices of the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of RA, the pilgrimage of young Armenians of Georgia to the holy sites of Armenia and Artsakh was realized. 20 young Armenians from different regions of Georgia, led by the Department Director Valeri Badalyan and in the company of Dn. Gevorg Antonyan, after raising their prayers to God in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi, headed to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The purpose of the visit was to introduce spiritual and cultural monuments of Armenia and Artsakh to Armenian youth, to establish friendly relations and develop joint projects.

The young people started their pilgrimage visiting Noravank Monastery in the town of Yeghegnadzor, following which they traveled by “Wings of Tatev”, the longest cableway in the world, and raised their prayers to God in Tatev Monastic Complex.

In the days of their pilgrimage, young Armenians toured St. Ghazanchetsots All Savior Church, Kanach Zham, museum of rugs in Shushi; Amaras Monastic Complex in Martuni region; historical Tigranakert and archeological museum; Goris; the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts (Matenadaran), located in Gandzasar Monastic Complex; Dadivank Monastery. In Stepanakert the young people visited “We Are Our Mountains” monument, laid flowers at memorial dedicated to Artsakh War heroes.

In Spenakert, the Minister of Culture Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Narine Aghabalyan received the delegation of young Armenians, who had arrived from far away Tbilisi. The Minister welcomed the youth, highly estimated the “Familiarization and cooperation visit to Armenian and Artsakh” project and stressed the necessity of strengthening and developing already close relations.

There were offers of continuous cooperation and mutual projects, which were readily accepted by both parties. The Ministry of Culture organized a reception in order to introduce the local young people to the youth from Georgia.

The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia and the youth department of the Diocese express its gratefulness and appreciation to the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of RA for support, as well as organizing the high-level “Familiarization and cooperation visit to Armenian and Artsakh” project and for giving the young Armenians of Georgia the opportunity to make pilgrimage to the churches in Armenia and Artsakh.

The young people returned to Tbilisi inspired by the heroic will of Artsakh heroic and creative people. The young Armenians returned to hometown with the best wishes from new friends and in anticipation to meet again.