OSCE Mission to Georgia awards ethnic Armenian students after exchange programme

TBILISI, 12 December 2008 - Sixteen ethnic Armenian students from the Javakheti region of Georgia received certificates today on completion of a student exchange programme, organized by OSCE Mission, the Education Ministry and the Union of Youth Centres.

Teenagers from the Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts of Javakheti, a region mainly populated by ethnic Armenians, spent three months living with Georgian host families and studying in schools of the Khelvachauri district of Adjara.

"The results of the project have been excellent; the children have not only learned the Georgian language and culture, but have also created true friendship bonds with their Georgian host families and peers," said Lola Ansede, the OSCE Mission to Georgia's Democratization Officer.

"We hope to continue running the project for a couple of more years and then hand it over to the Education Ministry."