Margaret Sargsyan
The project “Armenian-Georgian Public Educational Bridges”, being implemented with the written approval of the Ministers of Education and Science of Armenia and Georgia, started in 2009.
This year we mark the 15th year of educational bridges and joint activities with Georgia. Let’s celebrate the 15th anniversary of public educational bridges. Let’s organize an exhibition and a concert dedicated to our 15th anniversary at Caucasian University.
This general education program has been a reality in the Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex for a long time with Georgian language clubs, elective courses, online platforms, joint training camps, rituals, and with educational exchanges.
Ashot Bleyan, founding director of the “Mkhitar Sebastatsi” Educational Complex, and Giorgi Momtselidze, director of School 98 in Tbilisi, made an important contribution to the construction of these bridges. The founding director of the EduComplex Ashot Bleyan received the “Cultural Ambassador of Georgia” medal of Tbilisi Municipality. Giorgi Momtselidze, the director of school 98, was awarded with the certificate of honor of the Minister of Science and Education of RA.
The “Armenian-Georgian Public Educational Bridges” program was supported at different times and with different activeness by the Ministries of Education and Culture of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Georgia, the Embassy of the Republic of Georgia in Armenia, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, the “Caucasian Partnership” organization, the Municipality of Tbilisi, the Free Trade Union of Teachers and Scientists of Georgia, the state and other public organizations and individuals.
The project has the unanimous blessing and support of the Armenian and Georgian churches (the leaders of the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Diocese of Armenians in Georgia, the General Vicarage of Javakhk, the Diocese of Akhalkalaki-Kumurdo of the Georgian Orthodox Church).
In emergency conditions, the program developed on online platforms, forming new, online organization and online projects. For reasons beyond our control, educational ties have weakened, so we ask for the support of the honorable minister in activating them.
Now, we consider the visit of honorable minister Giorgi Amilakhvari to be important from the point of view of updating and activating educational institutions and creating new partnership bridges.
The following activities are carried out through “Armenian-Georgian Public Educational Bridges”
Georgian language is taught at the students’ choice in the High and Middle schools and in the College of the EduComplex. There is a club of Georgian speakers here. There are also such clubs of French, Spanish, German, Persian, Turkish speakers in the EduComplex.
The mskh.am website and the pedagogical magazine Dpir have Georgian pages.
There has been established a partnership between the EduComplex and Georgian schools in Tbilisi, Javakhk, Bolnis, Lanchkhut, Lagodekhi, Batumi, including Tbilisi. 98, 24, 104, 37, 6, schools and kindergartens of fine arts named after Versaladze, schools and kindergartens in Gldani district, schools in Gandzai, Valei, Damalai districts, N 3 School in Akhalkalaki, pre-school in Bakuriani, schools in Bolnisi “Davidiani”, Bolnis-Khacheni, Lagodekhi Vardisuban schools. A partnership has also been established between the EduComplex and Georgian educational and cultural state, non-governmental organizations, Georgian-Armenian community, “Hayartun” center, Armenian and Georgian Churches.
The students and teachers of the Georgian schools in Tbilisi and Javakhk participate in the annual open educational projects determined by the educational calendar of the author educational program of the EduComplex: reviews (public educational Digitech, ecotour, Georgian days, Yerevan Plein Air, music and theater festivals, open review of Armenian-Georgian educational projects, etc.
April 14 is the Day of the Georgian language in the educational complex. This is a cooperative day determined by the fifteen-year old academic calendar.
Visits to the EduComplex by state-public figures and groups interested in the author educational program (Ministers of Education and Science of Georgia, including: Dmitry Shashkin, Aleksandre Jejelava, Minister of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia, Mikheil Giorgadze, Ambassadors of Georgia to Armenia: Tengiz Sharmanashvili, Giorgi Saganelidze, culture and education specialists.
Trainings of Georgian teachers and pedagogical workers of preschool institutions were carried out in the educational complex and in Tbilisi.
The students of the EduComplex take part in open competitions and projects organized in Tbilisi schools and educational centers (International competition of technical creativity, “We are Reading Rustaveli”, “Leonardo da Vinci”, Eco-lesson, Tbilisi Plein Air, “Paintings by Pirosmani” project and others). They also initiate and implement educational projects related to Georgia and Georgian culture (such as contemporary Georgian writers, Shalva Amonashvili’s pedagogy, Georgian-Armenian translations).
The concerts of the EduComplex teachers’ choir “Sebastsiner” were organized in Tbilisi, Javakhk, in the halls of cultural and educational institutions and in churches.
The language experience of the EduComplex middle and high schools students studying Georgian was organized in Tbilisi.
Joint educational projects are implemented, that also include Armenian and Georgian artists: concerts, educational plein airs in Tbilisi, Yerevan, Armenian and Georgian national song dance trainings, project “Holidays together” (New Year and Christmas, Resurrection, Independence Days, Golden Autumn, Tbilisoba, “Sebastatsi days” and others).
The EduComplex and Georgian partner schools cooperate within the framework of international projects (SPAR, CEEN, others).
The students of the educational complex participate in the creative gatherings of the Georgian creative camps of Anaklia, Svaneti, Bulachauri, Bakuriani, Kakheti Manavi, including the international ones. Georgian students participate in the review camps and creative gatherings organized by the EduComplex in the picturesque places of Armenia.
Educational literature and teaching materials are transferred to the schools of the Armenian villages of Javakhk and Bolnis. Tbilisi Municipality donated Georgian books to the EduComplex.
Educational exchanges are carried out between classes, and parents join this project.
Through educational exchanges, personal friendship and family ties of Armenian and Georgian teenagers have been created. They are also active in social networks.
Cooperation of the sports school of the EduComplex with Georgian sports clubs: fencing tournaments in Armenia and Georgia, judo tournament in Georgia.
Proposed developments for the 2024-2025 academic year
- New partners: new public educational bridges
- “Historical Platforms of Armenian-Georgian Unity” educational projects
- Trainings of educational workers through the author educational program
- Trainings of kindergarten teachers with the author educational program
- Readings, discussions of contemporary Georgian literature
- Reviewing students’ research works, joint presentations
- Joint work of creative groups, speeches
- Cooperation with the EduComplex Wine School: creation of Armenian-Georgian partnership wine
- Training by production : joint exhibitions, plein airs, creative gatherings
- Other.