On December 12, 2014, during the official visit to Georgia, RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and his delegation members visited the Pantheon of Khojivanq in Tbilisi, where Armenian writers and public figures are buried.

The guests were welcomed by the head of Samtskhe-Javakheti’s prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Father Babgen Salibyan, together with the local clergy. The delegation members laid flowers on the tombs of Armenian great men. A requiem mass was performed for the peace of their souls.

RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and the delegation members proceeded to St. Echmiadzin Church in Avlabari and there, under the waiving Armenian and Georgian flags, the high-ranking officials were welcomed by His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the leader of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia and by the local clergy.

The leader of the Diocese presented the history of the ancient Armenian Church to the guests from the motherland. After lighting candles and saying their prayers in the church, the guests bowed before the cross-stone (khachkar), erected in the church’s yard in the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims and laid flowers on the pedestal. Also, the guests laid flowers on the tomb of the great Armenian benefactor, Alexander Mantashev.

The Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan visited Hayartun cultural-educational youth center together with his delegation. Here the guests were welcomed by the officials, cultural and public figures, representatives of the Armenian community not only from Tbilisi, but also from Samtskhe-Javakheti and other regions populated by Armenians. The delegation visited St. Movses Khorenatsi Primary School. The Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan was impressed by the nice performance by children and by the activity of the primary school, intended to give Armenian education to young generation. The Prime Minister made a monetary donation to the primary school.

The guests watched performances by the pupils of duduk and dhol classes. His Grace Bishop Vazgen invited the guests to see Galust Gyulbenkyan hall, where the exhibition dedicated to the 190th anniversary of Tbilisi’s Nersisyan School.

His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the leader of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, greeted the Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and the government delegation members by a welcome speech. The leader of the Diocese mentioned the importance of attention given by the motherland and thanked RA Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs for their cooperation. His Grace expressed special gratitude to the Ministry of Diaspora for their assistance and sponsorship to the Armenian community’s activities in Georgia. The leader of the Diocese thanked RA government for supporting the opening of the educational-cultural and youth center in Batumi.

Samvel Petrosyan, Georgia’s general assembly deputy of Armenian origin welcomed guests and voiced concerns of Armenians in Javakheti.

After that RA Prime Minister noted the importance of Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora cooperation and gave commemorative golden medals to the following honored representatives of Armenian community – Levon Chidilyan, the head of Hayartun center, Zhanna Davtyan, the head the Puppet Culture Theatre, Karine Manukyan, the national project coordinator at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Also, the Prime Minister gave medals from the Ministry of Diaspora to Anahit Bostanjyan, Armenian poet, translator and the head of “Kamurj” literary and cultural center and to Maria Abulyan, the choirmaster of St. Nerses Shorhali Youth Vocal Ensemble at Hayartun center. The prime minister gave the painting of Sayat-Nova by Ruben Arutchyan to Hayartun center as present and congratulated the representatives of Armenian community with coming New Year.

The leader of the Armenian diocese gave RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan as present the painting with old Tbilisi views by Tengiz Mikoyan.

At the end of the visit the high-ranking officials participated in a reception, where the representatives of the Armenian community in Georgia raised their concerns. The meeting was held in a very warm atmosphere.