This year a group of young Armenians from Tbilisi decided to spend two weeks of their summer vacation in the scout camp, located near the Lermontov village in the Lori region in Armenia. This is now the eighth year the camp has been organized within the framework of the AGBU youth projects.

On July 10, 2015 a group of young people, guided by the Hayartun Center Director, Levon Chidilyan arrived at the camp. 11 young boy and girl activists from the Youth Department of the Diocese (Director, Valery Badalyan) spent 12 days at the Antranik Scout Camp, under the leadership of Hovhannes Shahnazaryan, enjoying the camping.

120 boy and girl scouts from Lebanon, Iraq, Dubai, Tbilisi, and Yerevan and other countries and cities gathered in the camp this year. At the opening ceremony of the Antranik Scout Camp the Primate of the Diocese of Gougark of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, His Grace Archbishop Sebouh Chouldjian blessed the young people and wished them happy holidays.

A day in the scout camp usually started with morning exercises and the flag-raising ceremony. During the day there were hiking, lectures and games and songs near the bonfire and the flag ceremony at nights. Many young people from Tbilisi were visiting the camp for the second, third or even the fourth time because of the incredible and joyful atmosphere that the camp provides.

Founded in 2008, the Antranik Scout Camp, has expanded its offerings, giving young boys and girls from Diaspora an opportunity to interact with their peers from Armenia.

The camping program included visits to the museums of Komitas and Andranik Ozanyan in the city of Gyumri, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the church of Haghartsin and the concert of the “Gohar” Ensemble. At the invitation of His Grace Archbishop Sebouh, the scouts visited the “Tsitsernak” Camp in the Diocese of Gougark. They also participated in the event dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

During the traditional closing campfire, the Youth Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia was represented by Ani Ghushchyan and Hovhannes Shahnazaryan. The AGBU-AYA Executive Director, Kevork Santourian appreciated the participation of the scouting group from Tbilisi and named Gevorg Avetisyan as a model scout. The scouts said goodbye to each other with the expectation to meet again next year.