RA National Assembly Speaker Samvel Nikoyan was in Lori Region on a working visit, after which he visited Vanadzor orphanage.

On December 26 the RA National Assembly Speaker Samvel Nikoyan was in Lori Region on a working visit.

The Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov, the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Artak Davtyan, the NA deputies Karine Achemyan, Tachat Vardapetyan, Hovhannes Sahakyan, Karen Saribekyan, Gagik Melikyan, the Governor of Lori Marz Artur Nalbandyan accompanied the NA Speaker.

After visiting the Municipality of Lori Marz the Speaker of the National Assembly went to Vanadzor orphanage. Samvel Nikoyan took a tour in the sewing workshop of the Orphanage, where the children take sewing classes, as well as make dresses for their own. The NA Speaker talked to the children and watched their works. Taking a tour in the orphanage Samvel Nikoyan spoke with the orphanage staff and the children in an immediate atmosphere got familiarized with the living conditions of the latter. Congratulating them on the occasion of the New Year and the Holy Nativity, the NA Speaker handed presents to them. The children welcomed the guests with songs, dancing and recitation, and in the name of the Orphanage the Speaker of the National Assembly was presented a hand made work.

During the meeting with the children and the orphanage staff and the talk with the journalists the Speaker of the National Assembly expressed his dual feeling and impressions. In his words, certainly, it’s welcoming that the orphanage is in good conditions and provides for children an atmosphere of a warm family, however, on the other hand, unfortunately, there are children, who are not with their families, parents, and it would be better that no children was in the Orphanage.

Afterwards the RA NA Speaker met with the party activists in the RPA Lori Regional organization and discussed a number of issues.

The final point of Lori Marz was Vanadzor Hovhannes Abelian State Drama Theatre, where the gala concert of the 4^thRepublican Youth Recitation Contest-Festival was held under the auspice of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Samvel Nikoyan . 
The 4^th Republican Youth Recitation Contest-Festival was dedicated to the Western Armenian poets Petros Durian, Misak Metsarentz, Ruben Sevak and Vahan Tekeyan. As it was before, the Contest-Festival had been held in three phases in 11-14 and 15-17 age groups. This year also about 123.000 pupils out of more than 1500 schools from all marzes of the republic, Nagorno Karabakh and Javakhk took part in the Contest-Festival.

On December 15, 18 pupils of 11-14 and 15-17 age groups out of 79 schoolchildren, who took part in the final phase of the Festival, which was held in Siamanto School No 162 in Yerevan , were recognized winners and on December 26 took part in the Vanadzor gala concert.   

Anahit Hakobyan, a pupil of Siamanto School No 162 in Yerevan , received the Grand Prix. In each two peer groups 3 best participants enjoyed the first, second and third prizes and the NA acknowledgement letters. Incentive prizes were also handed over.   

Handing over the awards and prizes, the NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan welcomed the schoolchildren, their parents, the jury members and organizers for taking part in the festival and organizing it at a high level. Noting that three years ago the Republican Youth Recitation Contest-Festival was initiated by the NA former Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan and held under his auspice, Samvel Nikoyan highly appreciated the role of the festival and expressed willingness to provide its continuity because, in his words, good work, good idea should be continued. The Head of the parliament considered symbolic the holding of the festival in the Motherland of great Tumanyan, who knew the value of the word quite well, and was putting deep spacial philosophy in simple words. Samvel Nikoyan also observed the Republican Youth Recitation Contest-Festival as one of the means of resisting the hunger of spirit.

The event was ended with the congratulations and wishes of the Santa Claus.