The final stage of an interactive game competition dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the proclamation of the Hethumid dynasty was held at the Wine History Museum of Armenia. The competition was organized at the initiative of the YSU Faculty of History and with the support of the Center for Admissions and Affairs with Applicants to promote schoolchildren's interest in Armenian history, particularly the history of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, as well as strengthen university-school cooperation.
Five teams that had passed the previous stages took part in the final. They represented Yerevan Samvel Gevorgyan High School No. 189, Margar Hovhannisyan Secondary School of Pokr Vedi in Armenia's Ararat Province, Ararat Regional State College, Parakar Secondary School and Akhuryan Basic School No. 2. During the competition, the teams competed under the names of Armenian kings and queens of Cilicia.
Before the competition began, the participants took a study tour of the Armenia Wine company and the Wine History Museum of Armenia, learning about the centuries-old traditions of Armenian winemaking and the museum's exhibitions.
The participants were welcomed by Mkhitar Gabrielyan, Dean of the YSU Faculty of History, who emphasized the importance of the initiative and the educational and cognitive significance of the competition.
"We have a competitive and enthusiastic generation. Our initiative aimed to understand what cooperation between the faculty and schools could look like. Today, we can already state that it has produced excellent results. We thank all schoolchildren and teachers," the dean said.
The team from Yerevan Samvel Gevorgyan High School No. 189 was named the winner of the competition. The team from Ararat Regional State College took second place, while the team from Parakar Secondary School came third. The teams demonstrated strong preparation, teamwork and deep knowledge of history.
Mariam Stepanyan, a member of the winning team, said the victory was not only a great joy but also a responsibility.
"After the victory, the excitement is great, and it is also a responsibility to gain more knowledge in the future and take part in similar events. I advise all students to overcome their fear and participate in such competitions, because they can become the beginning of your success," she said.
Team member Karina Dadoyan emphasized that the main key to their team's success was the active involvement of all members.
"We all participated equally in the work. For me, the most interesting part was studying historical figures. My favorite figure was Levon the Magnificent because of his pro-Armenian activities. We carried out each task with readiness, and that contributed to our success," she said.
The team's teacher, Nelly Sukiasyan, emphasized the educational importance of such competitions. "We must love ourselves, our land and our values, and pass that love on to new generations. It was very pleasant to take part in this initiative. We would like it to be continuous," she said.
The interactive game competition dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the proclamation of the Hethumid dynasty once again showed that the teaching of history can be engaging and competitive, while also strengthening cooperation between schools and the university and deepening young people's interest in national history and cultural heritage.
