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On October 10 the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan, the Vice Presidents of the parliament and a group of deputies visited Haghpat to take part in the opening ceremony of the Republican Recitation Youth Fifth Contest Festival. Let us note that the Republican Recitation Youth Fifth Contest Festival, which is held under the auspice of the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan, began on September 5 and is dedicated to Sayat Nova’s 300^th and Yeghishe Charents’ 115^th jubilees. By the way, UNESCO included Sayat Nova’s 300^th anniversary in its 2012 cultural jubilee programme list. And as Sayat-Nova has lived two decades in Haghpat Monastery, consecrated first as a priest, then as an archimandrite, hence the Festival Marz Final Phase began in the namesake community of Lori Marz, where the Monastery is situated. The NA President, the deputies and the Contest-Festival jury members accompanied with the spiritual leader of Gugark Diocese had been to Haghpat Monastery. The Head of the Parliament highlighted the Haghpat Monastery not only as a prayer place and cultural value, but also as a tourist center. He was informed that the Monastery had no chandelier and promised that the chandelier would be made and placed in St Nshan Church of the Complex.

The Contest-Festival began in the Haghpat House of Culture. In his welcoming speech the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan thanked the organizers of the Festival, the leadership of the Marz for the works done.

“The Festival will give us an opportunity to restore love in our future generation towards Armenian Literature and poetry, return to their roots, which is very important. This Festival causes respect towards our past, culture, our celebrities. I am sure that it will enjoy great popularity and will be more loved by the people. It is also important for our present, our unity: it unites our pupils with their brothers and sisters of Artsakh and Javakhk, gives an opportunity to contact with each other,” Hovik Abrahamyan said.

The Governor of Lori Artur Nalbandyan said that by the NA President’s support within the framework of “Adequate Development Programme of Marzes” in 2013 the House of Culture of Haghpat community will be repaired, and the community would have an improved cultural center.

Within the framework of the visit the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan also met with the teachers of Haghpat secondary school. He highlighted and appreciated the teacher’s work in the upbringing of the young generation. On the occasion of the Teacher’s Day and for big contribution in the sphere of education the President of the Parliament awarded the teachers of School N 4 with NA diplomas and letters of acknowledgement.

“We highly appreciate your contribution in the establishment of our state. The teachers did not leave the school even in hardest years. We’ll have a bright future due to our united, joint work,” the NA President noted.

In the course of the meeting the teachers presented their concerns and proposals. They expressed wish to celebrate the 1000^th anniversary of Haghpat Educational Center, to rename the school after Sayat-Nova and repair it if possible. The NA President promised to go ahead of the teachers’ wish, apply to the President of the Republic, so he would give an assignment to the Government to solve the problem of repairing the school.

The NA President Hovik Abrahamyan also talked with the journalists, and answered their questions. He documented with satisfaction that year-by-year the number of the participants of the Recitation Contest Festival increased. In the first Contest Festival 5000 schoolchildren took part, and the number of the participants of the 4^th Festival had already been 135.000. The Festival had also expanded its borders, involving Artsakh and Javakhk. He expressed hope that good work would have good result and good end.