Choir and Art Group Final Event at Diocesan “Hayartun” Center

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the final event of the academic year was held at the “Hayartun” Center of the Diocese. It featured the end-of-year presentation by the Center’s choir and art group.

The hall displayed drawings created by the children of the art group, guided by their teacher Anna Karapetyan. Using pencil and watercolor, the children expressed their imaginations on paper. Although the group has only existed for a few months, the 5–10-year-old students have already produced dozens of artworks and have presented them at various events. It is especially encouraging that the group's students participated in the “Peace” themed festival-competition organized by the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, where works by Susanna Altunyan and Adelina Melikyan were awarded prizes in the final round.

Eugenia Markosyan, Director of the “Hayartun” Center, reflected on the progress made during the 2024–25 academic year by the “St. Nerses the Gracious” (Surb Nerses Shnorhali) children’s and youth ensemble under the direction of choirmaster Aida Bazoyan-Surmalyan (pianist: Karen Mirzoyan), as well as the folk instruments group led by Ivane Mkrtchyan. The participation of the choir, the duduk ensemble, and soloist Aida Bazoyan-Surmalyan in the “Khalkhuri” (Folk) Song Festival held in Georgia was also highly appreciated.

The truly impressive performances featured classical, folk, patriotic, and ethnographic songs and music, sung by the choir and played on the duduk, dhol, piano, and violin, presented in Armenian, Georgian, and Russian.

At the end of the event, the Center’s director invited to the stage those young people who, having first entered the preschool as children, have remained faithfully involved in the activities of the “Hayartun” Center, joining the choir, dance group, contemporary arts and other active programs, and maintaining a lasting connection with the institution. With the blessing of the Diocesan Primate, the director presented each of them with a certificate of appreciation and a commemorative badge from the “Hayartun” Center.

Susanna Khachatryan, head of the Diocese’s Press Department, former preschool teacher Lala Gevorgyan, and Ivane Mkrtchyan, leader of the folk instruments ensemble, shared their impressions, proudly noting that they were present at the very beginnings of the establishment of the “Hayartun” Center.