Historian Yervant Pamboukian’s new book, The Letters of Aram Manoukian, was launched on September 11 in Shushi, at the Ministry of Culture, Youth Affairs, and Tourism, the Stepanakert newspaper Aparaj reports.
A study of a decade in the life of the man who would come to be known as the founder of the Republic of Armenia, the book collects, in chronological order, all of Manoukian’s correspondence between 1904 and 1915.
Present at the event were the minister of culture, youth affairs, and tourism of Artsakh, Lernik Hovhannisyan; Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Artsakh Vahram Balayan; ARF Artsakh Central Committee representative Davit Ishkhanian; Mr. Pamboukian; journalists; and members of the public.
Hermine Avagyan, head of Hamazkayin’s Artsakh office, opened the event. She said the book shed light on the Armenian reality of the decade before 1915, and also on Aram Manoukian’s personality. “Most of the 354 letters in the book have never before been published. In these, Aram Manoukian’s personality shine through” Ms. Avagyan said.
Mr. Hovhannisyan, the minister, noted that the launch was taking place in Aram Manoukian’s place of birth. Aram’s childhood in Shushi without doubt had a big impact on moulding him as a future political and revolutionary leader. The minister was deeply grateful to Mr. Pamboukian for his tireless publication of primary sources for the history of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
Mr Pamboukian told interesting stories from Aram’s life. He portrayed Aram as a selfless, modest, dedicated, and patient man. Aram suffered from debilitating joint pain; this did not stop him from active participation in revolutionary struggle. He was beloved by everyone in Van, which was amazing because Van natives did not tend to care for outsiders.
Professor Ararat Vardanyan of Artsakh State University said the project was an important one. He said Aram Manoukian had dedicated his whole life to the Armenian people, and had fought for people’s freedom, and for the reestablishment of an independent Armenian state. He said the book allowed readers to learn more about the man.
The book launch was a joint project of the ministry and the Hamazkayin office in Artsakh. It was dedicated to the one-hundredth anniversary of the establishment of the Armenian republic.