At the initiative of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia (President Gevorg Snkhchyan) and under the auspices of the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, on May 3 in Bolnisi village of Bolnisi region the traditional Ghazaros Aghayan’s Day was celebrated. Delegations from Tbilisi, Javakheti and Yerevan had arrived at the birthplace of the great Armenian teacher, writer and public figure; there were students, teachers, parents, people devoted to literature and the readership gathered in the yard of Ghazaros Aghayan House Museum. The clergy of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia Priest Narek Ghushchyan, Priest Armash Poghosyan, acting Gamgebeli of Bolnisi Municipality Alexandra Oboladze, Chairman of Sakrebulo of Bolnisi Municipality Jhony Khetsuriani, Ghazaros Aghayan’s relatives Ruben Aghayan and Armen Shahdadyan attended the festive event.

Flowers were laid at the monument honoring Ghazaros Aghayan, which was erected in the yard. After the guests paid a visit to the 50 year old house museum and library of the famous teacher, President of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia, Ghazaros Aghayan’s Day initiator and continually celebrating the holiday Gevorg Snkhchyan opened the festive event.

Representatives of the local authorities and guests delivered a speech, they paid tribute to Ghazaros Aghayan naming him a great teacher, writer, public figure and publicist; they stressed the Armenian-Georgian long-lasting friendly relations.

The host of the event presented recently published books to the Ghazaros Aghayan House Museum’s library and the local school.

Levon Chidilyan, coordinator of the “Hayartun” Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, congratulated the population of the village on Ghazaros Aghayan’s Day celebration and conducted the artistic part of the event, where the local school students wonderfully recited poems and singers from Tbilisi performed. Pavel Oganezov was the artistic director of the event.

Ghazaros Aghayan was born on April 16, 1840 in Bolnis-Khachen village of Bolnisi region. He studied at the Nersisyan school in Tbilisi. In 1867 he devoted himself to literature and teaching. He wrote poems, epic poems, fairy tales for children, translated works of Pushkin and Krilov. He fought for democratization of education, defended a principle of popularized education. He has left the rich literary heritage, wrote Armenian textbooks and many articles on pedagogy.