Tweet
PRESS RELEASE
Bible Society of Armenia
6/26 Zakiyan St.
Yerevan 375015, Armenia
Tel: (+374 -10) 58.55.09, 56.49.06
Fax: (+374 - 10) 54.24.39
E-mail: [email protected]
October 11, 2005
BRINGING THE BIBLE TO SCHOOLS, SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION
YEREVAN -- Within its four-day trip September 25-29 to
Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, Southern Georgia, a delegation of the Bible
Society Board members met with 200 school principals, teachers and
students. The delegation had the opportunity to be in four cities and
some villages of this Region. The project called "Bringing the Bible to
Schools" was a part of the long run program, implemented in Armenia
during the years 2002-2004, and in Diocese of Artsakh in August, 2005.
This project has been implemented owing to the
generous support of the Catholicosate of All Armenians, the Armenian
Evangelical Church and the Armenian Catholic Church and also with the
cooperation of the UBS representation in Georgia. Among the delegation
were Arshavir Kapoudjian, the BS Board Secretary; Fr. Samvel, parish
priest of the Armenian Apostoloc Church of Holy Cross, Akhalkalaki; Fr
Grigor Mkrtcian, the representative of the Armenian Catholic Church;
Revd Valeri Zakarian, the representative of the Armenian Evangelical
Churches; Rune Hansen, the representative of the Danish Bible Society.
The four meetings with the school principals were held Monday to
Wednesday, September 26-28, 2005, consecutively in the cities of
Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminta, Aspindza and Akhltskha. Fr Samvel from the
Armenian Apostolic Church warmly greeted the delegation and expressed
his joy and gratitude for such kind of initiative and the generous
support of the Bible Society of Armenia. During these meetings the
delegation was welcomed by the city mayors and the heads of Education
Departments who expressed their thanks to the BS Armenia for this unique
support extended and for the gifts to be delivered to the local schools.
In his keynote address the Board Secretary presented the gathered people
with the 200-year history of the United Bible
Societies, the 14-year history of the Bible Society of Armenia and its
mission in Armenia, and the sets of nine books to be given to schools (a
Bible, 6 different volumes of Guides, Opening Up the Bible, The Bible in
the Armenian Tradition). Based on their witnesses, the principals
revealed that this was something new which happened in their life.
Receiving their packages, a lot of principals invited the BS members to
their own villages and schools for such kind of spiritual and uplifting
meetings. The delegation accepted this invitation and had the
opportunity to visit some schools separately and met with hundreds of
students in their classrooms.
The delegation had also the chance to visit a 19th century village of
Abul=85 a village without electricity, without roads, a village far from
Akhalkalaki 12 kilometers. The road took one hour and half=85 It was
already sunset when the delegation first met a shepherd and a lady
coming from the mountains. They were curious who these people were and
where they came from. They were lucky to get their own Bibles. The place
was empty and at first glance it was hard to meet people. Ten minutes
later the entire village surrounded the Society's van loaded with
books. The driver had the difficulty to pull the gathered people and
explained that they will get a copy. They were crying. Someone was
shouting `I have a patient,' another one `I have a grandchild; I
need a Children's Bible.'
Another such visit was to Tamala! The delegation turned the way to
Akhlskha. The only school of this village has 600 students. The meeting
took place in several classrooms, with students of 1st to 10th grades.
The conversation with different ages of students was very interesting.
The teachers made it clear that during and after the communist regime
they didn't have such visitors. `We are Christians, but 90% of us
are not baptized. We survived through our faith, but now we have no
access to the knowledge of the Bible.' Another teacher who found this
visit common with swallows making their nest, stated, `This is the way
how we shall build our spiritual house.' This year is the 1600th
anniversary of the Invention of the Armenian Alphabet. When the students
asked the reason of the invention of the alphabet the answer was very
clear: The Bible!
Apart from these meetings, the delegation had the opportunity to meet Mr
Arthur Yeremian, the representative of the Georgian President in the
Region; several youth organizations and people in the streets, who were
interested in the Bible Society and the Bible work everywhere.
This was the end of the project called `Bringing the Bible to
Schools,' which has begun in 2002.
The Bible Society of Armenia was established in 1991 when the late
Catholicos Vazgen I and representatives of the United Bible Societies
signed a memorandum of understanding, regarding the translation,
publication and dissemination of the Holy Bible in Armenia. The Bible
Society of Armenia is committed to the widest possible meaningful and
effective distribution of the Holy Scriptures in languages and media
which meet the needs of people, at a price they can afford. The Board of
Trustees of The Bible Society of Armenia consists of representatives of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church and the
Union of Armenian Evangelical and Baptist Churches.
For further information on Bible Society of Armenia and its activities,
call
(374-10) 58-55 09 or 56-49-06; fax (374-10) 54-24-39; e-mail
[email protected], and visit the Bible Society's homepage
www.biblesociety.am.
###
Bible Society of Armenia
6/26 Zakiyan St.
Yerevan 375015, Armenia
Tel: (+374 -10) 58.55.09, 56.49.06
Fax: (+374 - 10) 54.24.39
E-mail: [email protected]
October 11, 2005
BRINGING THE BIBLE TO SCHOOLS, SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION
YEREVAN -- Within its four-day trip September 25-29 to
Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, Southern Georgia, a delegation of the Bible
Society Board members met with 200 school principals, teachers and
students. The delegation had the opportunity to be in four cities and
some villages of this Region. The project called "Bringing the Bible to
Schools" was a part of the long run program, implemented in Armenia
during the years 2002-2004, and in Diocese of Artsakh in August, 2005.
This project has been implemented owing to the
generous support of the Catholicosate of All Armenians, the Armenian
Evangelical Church and the Armenian Catholic Church and also with the
cooperation of the UBS representation in Georgia. Among the delegation
were Arshavir Kapoudjian, the BS Board Secretary; Fr. Samvel, parish
priest of the Armenian Apostoloc Church of Holy Cross, Akhalkalaki; Fr
Grigor Mkrtcian, the representative of the Armenian Catholic Church;
Revd Valeri Zakarian, the representative of the Armenian Evangelical
Churches; Rune Hansen, the representative of the Danish Bible Society.
The four meetings with the school principals were held Monday to
Wednesday, September 26-28, 2005, consecutively in the cities of
Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminta, Aspindza and Akhltskha. Fr Samvel from the
Armenian Apostolic Church warmly greeted the delegation and expressed
his joy and gratitude for such kind of initiative and the generous
support of the Bible Society of Armenia. During these meetings the
delegation was welcomed by the city mayors and the heads of Education
Departments who expressed their thanks to the BS Armenia for this unique
support extended and for the gifts to be delivered to the local schools.
In his keynote address the Board Secretary presented the gathered people
with the 200-year history of the United Bible
Societies, the 14-year history of the Bible Society of Armenia and its
mission in Armenia, and the sets of nine books to be given to schools (a
Bible, 6 different volumes of Guides, Opening Up the Bible, The Bible in
the Armenian Tradition). Based on their witnesses, the principals
revealed that this was something new which happened in their life.
Receiving their packages, a lot of principals invited the BS members to
their own villages and schools for such kind of spiritual and uplifting
meetings. The delegation accepted this invitation and had the
opportunity to visit some schools separately and met with hundreds of
students in their classrooms.
The delegation had also the chance to visit a 19th century village of
Abul=85 a village without electricity, without roads, a village far from
Akhalkalaki 12 kilometers. The road took one hour and half=85 It was
already sunset when the delegation first met a shepherd and a lady
coming from the mountains. They were curious who these people were and
where they came from. They were lucky to get their own Bibles. The place
was empty and at first glance it was hard to meet people. Ten minutes
later the entire village surrounded the Society's van loaded with
books. The driver had the difficulty to pull the gathered people and
explained that they will get a copy. They were crying. Someone was
shouting `I have a patient,' another one `I have a grandchild; I
need a Children's Bible.'
Another such visit was to Tamala! The delegation turned the way to
Akhlskha. The only school of this village has 600 students. The meeting
took place in several classrooms, with students of 1st to 10th grades.
The conversation with different ages of students was very interesting.
The teachers made it clear that during and after the communist regime
they didn't have such visitors. `We are Christians, but 90% of us
are not baptized. We survived through our faith, but now we have no
access to the knowledge of the Bible.' Another teacher who found this
visit common with swallows making their nest, stated, `This is the way
how we shall build our spiritual house.' This year is the 1600th
anniversary of the Invention of the Armenian Alphabet. When the students
asked the reason of the invention of the alphabet the answer was very
clear: The Bible!
Apart from these meetings, the delegation had the opportunity to meet Mr
Arthur Yeremian, the representative of the Georgian President in the
Region; several youth organizations and people in the streets, who were
interested in the Bible Society and the Bible work everywhere.
This was the end of the project called `Bringing the Bible to
Schools,' which has begun in 2002.
The Bible Society of Armenia was established in 1991 when the late
Catholicos Vazgen I and representatives of the United Bible Societies
signed a memorandum of understanding, regarding the translation,
publication and dissemination of the Holy Bible in Armenia. The Bible
Society of Armenia is committed to the widest possible meaningful and
effective distribution of the Holy Scriptures in languages and media
which meet the needs of people, at a price they can afford. The Board of
Trustees of The Bible Society of Armenia consists of representatives of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Armenian Catholic Church and the
Union of Armenian Evangelical and Baptist Churches.
For further information on Bible Society of Armenia and its activities,
call
(374-10) 58-55 09 or 56-49-06; fax (374-10) 54-24-39; e-mail
[email protected], and visit the Bible Society's homepage
www.biblesociety.am.
###