On the 28^th of July Vahan Terian poetry day was celebrated in Gandza village of Ninotsminda region. Born in the lap of beautiful nature in Javakheti an apologist for love, freedom, equality and fraternity – poet Vahan Terian (Vahan Sukiasi Ter-Grigoryan) was connected with boundless love to his birthplace Gandza village, he was homesick and missed his motherland greatly. And again, already for the 46th time, admirers and lovers of Terian’s poetry had gathered in Gandza village to express their love and respect for the poetry and talent of the poet, who praised his motherland, fraternity and equality.

The traditional Terian poetry day started with the Divine Liturgy at Surb Karapet Church, which was built in 1840s’. The spiritual shepherd of Ninotsminda region and nearby villages Priest Armash Poghosyan conducted the divine service. Under the leadership of the spiritual shepherd at the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Akhaltsikhe and of Armenian villages in the region, Senior Priest Yeghishe Harutyunyan, the pilgrims from neighboring villages participated in the Divine Liturgy. During the liturgy the Vicar-General of Javakhk Supreme Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan delivered a sermon in connection with the holiday.

Under the leadership of the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan a prayer for the repose of Vahan Terian’s soul was served at the conclusion of the liturgy.

As if the Holy Liturgy and the prayer of the participants contributed to the demise of continuous heavy rain, providing an opportunity to begin a holiday on the field, in the open, devoted to always contemporary Terian’s poetry. After the end of the Divine Liturgy in the church the participants visited located nearby the church Vahan Terian House Museum and the church, built in 1859 under the guidance and sponsorship of priest Ter Grigor - grandfather of Vahan Terian.

In the afternoon the festival in honor of Vahan Terian began, President of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia Zhora Snkhchyan was the host of the event. Ninotsminda Municipality Gamgebeli Gagik Gharslyan welcomed the guests, who had arrived from Armenia, Georgia and nearby villages. Deputy Speaker of Armenian parliament Hermine Nagdalyan and the Deputy Minister of Culture Manana Berikashvili delivered a speech. They talked about Vahan Terian - an honest citizen, great poet, selfless and sensitive man, who lived for others, fully devoting himself to public matters and the fate of his native country.

The Chairman of Writers' Union of Armenia Levon Ananyan, the Chairman of “Terian” Union Arushan Hakobyan, the Head of Vahan Terian House Museum Vagharshak Tangamyan, the representative of Terian’s family Hmayak Grigoryan, the editor of "Vrastan" ("Georgia") Van Baiburtian, writer Silva Sipanuhi and others delivered a speech.

Georgian MP Ruslan Poghosian, Henzel Mkoyan, Samvel Petrosyan, Nodar Dumbadze’s daughter Ketevan Dumbadze, Chairman of Ninotsminda Sakrebulo Smbat Kyureghyan, Chairman of Akhalkalaki Sakrebulo Hamlet Movsisyan, Gamgebeli of Akhalkalaki Municipality Eduard Aghasaryan, the members of the Board of Trustees at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia Samvel Aghekyan, Aram Sanosyan and Rafik Aghajanyan took part in the event.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Hovhannes Manoukian, The Vice-Chairperson of the Republican Party of the RA Musheg Lalayan , , Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Science of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Melkonian, , Caucasian Regional Department Head at the RA Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Taron Shagoyan ,businessmen and public figure Gagik Aghajanyan and others arrived in Gandza village to take part in the day, dedicated to the works of the poet, who was dried up by the longing for home and motherland.

The Head of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and the Vicar-General of Javakhk Supreme Archimandrite Babken Salbiyan delivered their blessings to the event.

Song and dance ensembles, groups, solo artists from the house for culture in Gandza village and regional house for culture in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda performed at the holiday in honor of Vahan Terian. The spirit of Terian’s love poetry and of Armenian-Georgian friendship reigned on the event. The suggestion was made to mark Vahan Terian poetry day by awarding prizes in literature of the two countries.