On October 21-23, 2014, a group of 20 active boys and girls from the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, headed by the Department Director Valeri Badalyan, visited Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The purpose of the visit was to introduce spiritual and cultural monuments of Armenia and Artsakh to Armenian youth, who live in Tbilisi and Georgia and have consolidated around the Armenian Diocese. It also aimed to converge the heroic Artsakh people. The visit was realized under the auspices of the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of RA. The Armenian Diocese and the youth department express its gratefulness and appreciation to the Ministry for organizing the event.

The young people started their trip admiring the charm of the dreamlike nature of Tatev village and the longest tramway in the world that opened fascinating fall scenery for entire twelve minutes with golden nature, convent of hermits, rocks, Vorotan River, making a noise in the foothills. The tramway is listed in the book of Guinness World Records.      

The information on the churches in Tatev Monastic Complex, the impressions on the national hero Gareguin Nzhdeh’s room and the perfection of the industrial complex, the oil press with its technical facilities completed the beauty of the nature.  

The Minister of Culture Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Narine Aghabalyan welcomed the representatives of the youth delegation and the director of the Department, who had arrived from far away Tbilisi. The Minister greeted the guests and stated the recent more active relationship with the Armenian youth from Georgia. Here she valued the role of the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia,
His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and the “Hayartun” Center. The cooperation is very important as each Armenian should at least once in a lifetime come and see Artsakh, feel the power of the soil, communicate with the locals. The Minister added that such cooperation and such relations are first of all important factors in the process of preserving our national identity and for the preservation of the Armenian nation in general.

There were offers of continuous cooperation and mutual projects, which were readily accepted by both parties. The youth department at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia gladly accepted the invitation to participate in folk dance Olympiad in Karabakh. At the end of the meeting the guests tasted the Karabakh national zhengyal bread.  

The young people visited St. Ghazanchetsots All Savior church in Shushi. After the Lord’s Prayer, the young people performed Rosary by Komitas, sang Psalms, and visited the mysterious basement of the church.    

The two day visit was very full, and the impressions from spiritual monuments and modern constructions were indelible. The museum of rugs with Karabakh rug weaving techniques, Jdrdyuz (Hunot) gorge with the heavenly scenery, Tigranakert museum, Gandzasar church, and Amaras monastic complex were really interesting. The group of young people visited the Picture Gallery of deceased soldiers, excited by proudly bowed to memory of those, who fell for their mother land and the nation.  

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