Sunday school in Georgia enhances Azerbaijani children's cultural, linguistic roots PHOTO

A Sunday school has opened in Garabulag village of Georgia’s Dmanisi district as part of the projects by the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with the Diaspora.

The school, which was established with the organizational support of the Dmanisi Educational Centre, offers necessary facilities for Azerbaijani children of various age groups to deepen their knowledge of both the Azerbaijani and Georgian languages, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Head of the Dmanisi Educational Centre Kamran Khidirov stated that qualified teachers have been recruited for the courses, and they are deeply committed to ensuring that children master the Azerbaijani language. "The opening of the Sunday school in our district is another successful project implemented by the State Committee for Work with the Diaspora.

The main goal of these Sunday schools, aimed at children from Azerbaijani families living here, is to teach the new generation the nuances of our native language, history and culture. Currently, Azerbaijani language courses are being organized for children and adolescents in the district’s villages of Hamamli and Garabulag. We also find it important to teach Georgian, as both villages are located in mountainous areas where the residents predominantly speak Azerbaijani. On the other hand, for our students to master Georgian perfectly, we have enlisted a Georgian teacher for the courses," he said. 

Azerbaijani language teacher Etigam Ismayilov stated, "Speaking in our native language is the fundamental condition for the existence of the Azerbaijani ideology. The children who are enrolled in these courses gain knowledge of Azerbaijani grammar through textbooks such as 'Alphabet' and 'Native Word,' which are used at Azerbaijani schools. They also learn about Azerbaijani writers and stories and poems written for children."

Georgian language teacher at the Sunday school Maya Khmaladze emphasised that in recent years, these courses have played a crucial role in the significant increase in the number of Azerbaijani students enrolling in Georgian universities through the unified testing system. These courses will also play an exceptional role in fostering friendly relations between the two nations and in integrating Azerbaijanis into Georgian society.

By Naila Huseynova