8 August 2017
The traditional summer camp of AGBU Plovdiv Chapter, HayLer, was held from July 15th to July 22nd at the Villa Viviana, located in the heart of the Rhodope Mountain. More than 40 children, between 5 and 15 years old, from Plovdiv, Haskovo, Burgas, Varna and Stara Zagora, as well as one participant from Moscow, spent a full week together, marked by unforgettable memories.
Participants took part in creative arts classes, Armenian dancing lessons, daily Armenian language training through the Armenian Virtual College, faith lessons, team games, races, first aid and survival training. They also took great pleasure in preparing the thematic nights: evening of the talent, crazy hairstyle & make-up contest, humor evening, fashion show and the most anticipated – the carnival evening. The oldest children of the camp had the opportunity, one evening, to watch the film “The Promise“, screened at the restaurant of the complex.
For their training and creative activities, the leadership of the camp invited various lecturers: faith – Nerses Ketikian from Varna, education – arch. Alvard Badvaganyan – Armenian language teacher at AGBU Saturday school, Natasha Nacheva – artist animator, avak humpabed Melik Djamdzhiyan – survival in nature, rafting instructor Leonid Dervhayanian – how to give first aid to a drowning person and how to protect ourselves from injuries in the water, Yana Karaohuyan – Senior nurse at an elite Plovdiv hospital – how to cover and protect a wound.
Chairman of AGBU Plovdiv Chapter, Mr. Rupen Chavusyan, frequently visited the camp. Archimandrite Isaac Bochosyan, of the Armenian Diocese in Bulgaria, also visited the camp and spoke to the children about the strength of the Armenian faith and identity.
Camp Counselor – Hripsime Erniasyan, Member of the Board of AGBU Plovdiv Chapter and Managing Editor-in-Chief of AGBU Voice newspaper, supervised the camp and together with the animators, Irina, Andre, Marina, Lilith and Stephanie, co-ordinated the daily activities.
On the last day, when it was time to say goodbye, children promise to meet again and renew the experience next year!
