Delegation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, headed by Minister Armen Ashotyan had arrived on official visit in Tbilisi at the invitation of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, and on February 1, 2014 visited Surb Etchmiadin Church at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, where they met with the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Georgian MP Ruslan Poghosian, the clergy, Heads of Departments at the Diocese, leaders of Armenian civic organizations in Tbilisi and community representatives. The delegation consisted of Director of the National Institute of Education at the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, Mr. Norayr Ghukasyan, the Head of Public Relation and Information Department at the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia, Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan, the Head of the Diaspora Ties Department of the Armenian Education and Science Ministry, Nune Vardanyan, Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan, Mr. Ruben Mirzakhanyan. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Hovhannes Manoukian also attended the meeting.

They visited the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia. The Head of Department of Education at the Diocese, Eugenia Markosyan, presented the St. Movses Khorenatsi Kindergarten and stressed children’s Armenian upbringing, she emphasized its main purpose - to send children to Armenian schools.

Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Armen Ashotyan, and members of delegation visited St. Gregory of Narek Saturday school, spoke with teacher Tamara Gaboyan. They took an interest in success of the students from foreign language schools in Armenian learning.

After that the guests attended Armenology lesson in the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the “Hayartun” Center, which was conducted by Deacon Gevorg Antonyan, and discussed students’ interests.

Education field representatives from Armenia lit candles in ancient Surb Etchmiadzin Church of Tbilisi.

The discussion was continued in a round table meeting, they touched upon several issues, including the Armenian schools of Tbilisi Armenian community, Armenian upbringing, decrease in students number, Armenian History teaching et al. Minister Armen Ashotyan told about meetings with Georgian authorities, during which they had discussed issues concerning implementation of the Armenian-Georgian bilateral educational programs, opportunities to participate in collaborative international programs.

The guests from Armenia visited the Tbilisi Pantheon of the Armenian Writers and Public Figures “Khojivank” and laid flowers on the graves of prominent public representatives.