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AGBU Armenian Virtual College Trip to Tbilisi, Georgia 05/09/2013
The AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC) has intensively been extending its curricula enriching its offerings with interesting educational-entertaining social and cultural events. One of the recent events took place within the frames of AVC’s trip to Tbilisi, Georgia in May 2013, during which AVC online instructors not only visited Armenian cultural centers but also prepared a material for virtual tours to be presented to AVC students later on. On May 10, 2013 AVC instructors visited cultural, educational and youth center Hayartun of the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church Surb Echmiadzin situated in Avlabari, Tbilisi. Hayartun plays a significant role for the Georgian-Armenian community, the members of which are very active and willing to remain faithful to their national values and language. So it is not occasional that Hayartun has actively been involved in organization and implementation of AVC’s Hybrid School programs in Tbilisi, Gerogia. Ms. Yevgenya Markosyan, the preschool education coordinator and AVC Hybrid School teacher in Tbilisi, shared her thoughts about AVC’s role and activities in the center of Hayartun, about the learning processes and successes stating that, “The Georgian Armenians today mainly speak Russian or Georgian and there was a great enthusiasm when AVC Hybrid School program was introduced in Tbilisi”. She also spoke of Hayartun’s and AVC’s further collaboration plans, “We hope to have a new and more convenient AVC classroom in the Museum of Hovhannes Toumanyan soon and continue the already established nice traditions of the hybrid school in Tbilisi”. The representatives of the Cultural Center and the Director of Hayartun Levon Chidilyan and some of the AVC students welcomed AVC team in the Center and expressed their gratitude to AVC. One of the students, Angela Sarkisyan, noted, “We are very thankful to AVC for helping us to develop, maintain and revitalize our Armenian identity by enhancing our knowledge in Armenian Language, History, and Culture, which is very important here as many Armenians don’t even speak Armenian.” AVC team continued their trip by visiting several Armenian Churches and other cultural centers, including the Armenian Pantheon of Tbilisi also known as Khojivank, architectural complex in north-eastern part of Avlabari, Tbilisi. In the evening AVC team was also invited to the concert devoted to the celebration of May holidays, Shushi Independence and WWII Victory days, taking place at the Art Hall of Tbilisi. The mission of AVC to provide Armenian education to anyone and anywhere is being accomplished at every step of its activities: both through pure online teaching and blended formats AVC is eager to reach every corner of the world.