Armenian community in Ajaria to be in centre of attention of Ministry
of Diaspora

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Minister of
Diaspora Hranush Hakobian received Chairman of the Union of Armenians
in Ajaria Grigory Vardanian and Spokesman for the Union Arthur
Hovhannisian on September 23. Deputy Minister of Diaspora Stepan
Petrosian, the heads of the departments of the ministry were present at
the meeting.

The representatives of the Union spoke about the necessity of measures
aimed at preserving Armenian identity in Ajaria: retraining the
teachers of the school attached to the Armenian Church in Batumi,
receiving textbooks and methodological guides, improvement of the
educational conditions of Ajarian Armenian teachers in Armenia, and
organizing tours of Armenian cultural groups in Ajaria.

Mr. Vardanian said it is envisaged opening a one-day Armenian School
attached to Surb Prkich Church in Batumi and to build an Armenian House
and turn it into a cultural, educational, social and business center of
the local Armenian community. In his words, the opportunities of
cooperation between the community and Homeland will grow after
construction of Yerevan-Akhalkalak-Batumi motorway. The trip from
Yerevan to Batumi by this motorway will take 5.5 hours instead of
nearly 10 hours when one travels by the motorway via Tbilisi.

Ms. Hakobian suggested setting out the community’s problems in a
document, assuring the guests that the Armenian community in Ajaria
will remain in the center of attention of the Ministry of Diaspora. In
her words, the ministry will provide all possible assistance to the
implementation of the community programs.

Approximately 12 thousand Armenians live in the Republic of Ajaria –
part of Georgia. The Union of Armenians in Ajaria recently marked the
5th anniversary of the union’s foundation.