On April 21 Lanjaghbyur Secondary School after V.Adamyan in Gegharkunik Marz hosted the award ceremony for the fifth annual “Best School Mini Garden 2025” competition. The initiative was organized by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the Russian Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute, and the School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency.
The event was attended by Ruzanna Harutyunyan - Chief Specialist of the Department for Programme Development and Implementation of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, Deputy Governor of Gegharkunik Province Janik Bazeyan, representatives of participating schools and organizing institutions, members of the selection committee, as well as schoolchildren whose dedication and enthusiasm brought this initiative to life.
Janik Bazeyan noted: “The competition has achieved its main goal, which is to bring together children, teachers, and communities around the idea of creating a cleaner and healthier environment, while also fostering love and a sense of responsibility toward nature.” The Deputy Governor of Gegharkunik also highlighted the region’s successful participation in the competition over the years.
Ruzanna Harutyunyan noted that when the competition was first launched in 2021, no one could have imagined that it would become an ongoing initiative. However, the interest shown by schools was so strong that the competition quickly gained popularity and is now celebrating its fifth anniversary. She expressed hope that more and more schools would join the initiative each year.
Satenik Mkrtchyan, Director of the “School Feeding and Child Welfare” Agency, welcomed the guests, congratulated the winners, and spoke about the achievements recorded over the five years of the competition.
Maria Muradyan, Head of Programs at UN WFP, emphasized that the competition organizers are pleasantly surprised and impressed each year by the remarkable results participating schools achieve in developing their mini-gardens from what often begins as a small idea.
Representative of the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute spoke about the selection process and the importance of the prizes in supporting the further development of school gardens. The headmasters of the winning schools shared the exciting stories of their mini gardens, telling about all the efforts of the children and school staff, showing photos and videos of the process.
The competition continued with children’s performance on the theme of the school garden and the exhibition of children’s drawings on the theme of “Garden Talisman”, each reflecting the unique spirit of a school garden. All young participants who created the drawings received commemorative gifts connected with the topic of Healthy Lifestyle, and the Winning Schools received toys made according to the drawings of the talismans of their gardens.
The competition that marked its 5th anniversary, brought together 13 schools from five marzes of Armenia. Its aim was to promote sustainable agriculture, support the School Feeding Programme, and encourage healthy eating habits among schoolchildren.
During the participation in the competition, the schools established their mini gardens from the ground up and primary school students worked in them with the support of teachers, school headmasters, parents, and local communities. By growing vegetables and herbs on school grounds, children not only contributed fresh produce for school meals, but also learned the value of agricultural work, care for the land, and healthy nutrition.
The schools’ projects were assessed by a selection committee composed of representatives of the organizers and partner organizations. As a result, Lanjaghbyur Secondary School after V.Adamyan was awarded first place. Nor Geghi Secondary School No. 2 after Yu. Yeritsyan in Kotayk Marz won second place, while Tsakkar Secondary School from Gegharkunik Marz received third place. In the “Best Windowsill Garden” category, designed for schools that created indoor mini gardens, the winner was Neghots Basic School in Lori Marz.
The winners received valuable prizes. The school that took first place was awarded a USD 3,000 grant to further develop its gardening initiatives. The second- and third-place schools and the school with the best “Windowsill garden” received valuable equipment for school canteens․ Vanadzor Basic School No. 23 after Tsovakal Isakov in Lori Marz and Gegharkunik Secondary School in Gegharkunik Marz, that took fourth and fifth places, as well as schools that showed continuous participation in the competition were presented with kitchen utensils. All participating schools were awarded certificates in recognition of their active involvement and contribution to promoting sustainable agricultural practices in schools.
The “Best School Mini Garden” competition is an important part of the National School Feeding Programme. It supports the establishment of school gardens across Armenia, helps provide fresh vegetables and herbs for school meals, and introduces children from an early age to the basics of organic farming, environmental responsibility, and healthy nutrition.
The event was attended by Ruzanna Harutyunyan - Chief Specialist of the Department for Programme Development and Implementation of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, Deputy Governor of Gegharkunik Province Janik Bazeyan, representatives of participating schools and organizing institutions, members of the selection committee, as well as schoolchildren whose dedication and enthusiasm brought this initiative to life.
Janik Bazeyan noted: “The competition has achieved its main goal, which is to bring together children, teachers, and communities around the idea of creating a cleaner and healthier environment, while also fostering love and a sense of responsibility toward nature.” The Deputy Governor of Gegharkunik also highlighted the region’s successful participation in the competition over the years.
Ruzanna Harutyunyan noted that when the competition was first launched in 2021, no one could have imagined that it would become an ongoing initiative. However, the interest shown by schools was so strong that the competition quickly gained popularity and is now celebrating its fifth anniversary. She expressed hope that more and more schools would join the initiative each year.
Satenik Mkrtchyan, Director of the “School Feeding and Child Welfare” Agency, welcomed the guests, congratulated the winners, and spoke about the achievements recorded over the five years of the competition.
Maria Muradyan, Head of Programs at UN WFP, emphasized that the competition organizers are pleasantly surprised and impressed each year by the remarkable results participating schools achieve in developing their mini-gardens from what often begins as a small idea.
Representative of the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute spoke about the selection process and the importance of the prizes in supporting the further development of school gardens. The headmasters of the winning schools shared the exciting stories of their mini gardens, telling about all the efforts of the children and school staff, showing photos and videos of the process.
The competition continued with children’s performance on the theme of the school garden and the exhibition of children’s drawings on the theme of “Garden Talisman”, each reflecting the unique spirit of a school garden. All young participants who created the drawings received commemorative gifts connected with the topic of Healthy Lifestyle, and the Winning Schools received toys made according to the drawings of the talismans of their gardens.
The competition that marked its 5th anniversary, brought together 13 schools from five marzes of Armenia. Its aim was to promote sustainable agriculture, support the School Feeding Programme, and encourage healthy eating habits among schoolchildren.
During the participation in the competition, the schools established their mini gardens from the ground up and primary school students worked in them with the support of teachers, school headmasters, parents, and local communities. By growing vegetables and herbs on school grounds, children not only contributed fresh produce for school meals, but also learned the value of agricultural work, care for the land, and healthy nutrition.
The schools’ projects were assessed by a selection committee composed of representatives of the organizers and partner organizations. As a result, Lanjaghbyur Secondary School after V.Adamyan was awarded first place. Nor Geghi Secondary School No. 2 after Yu. Yeritsyan in Kotayk Marz won second place, while Tsakkar Secondary School from Gegharkunik Marz received third place. In the “Best Windowsill Garden” category, designed for schools that created indoor mini gardens, the winner was Neghots Basic School in Lori Marz.
The winners received valuable prizes. The school that took first place was awarded a USD 3,000 grant to further develop its gardening initiatives. The second- and third-place schools and the school with the best “Windowsill garden” received valuable equipment for school canteens․ Vanadzor Basic School No. 23 after Tsovakal Isakov in Lori Marz and Gegharkunik Secondary School in Gegharkunik Marz, that took fourth and fifth places, as well as schools that showed continuous participation in the competition were presented with kitchen utensils. All participating schools were awarded certificates in recognition of their active involvement and contribution to promoting sustainable agricultural practices in schools.
The “Best School Mini Garden” competition is an important part of the National School Feeding Programme. It supports the establishment of school gardens across Armenia, helps provide fresh vegetables and herbs for school meals, and introduces children from an early age to the basics of organic farming, environmental responsibility, and healthy nutrition.