The Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association, Yerevan State University and the Ministry of Diaspora have published the collection of 21 reports made at the international conference dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the great Armenian writer and poet, national figure Avedis Aharonian.
The presentation of the book took place on May 29, 2017 at the Hall of YSU Armenian Philology Faculty where a few months earlier the Armenian historiographers and literary critics had gathered to evaluate the renowned writer, national political leader Avedis Aharonian’s heritage.
The event was attended by YSU Rector Aram Simonyan, Chair of the Central Board of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association, Meguerditch Meguerditchian, literary critics, historians from Armenia and the Diaspora, students, young people, book-lover citizens.
YSU Rector Aram Simonyan thanked the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Union for long-term commitment and cooperation. He mentioned that the discussed scientific collection is one of the best works presenting the Armenian outstanding figure Avedis Aharonyan and his works. "In the Soviet period and now, we have different kinds of commitments, but there is still one of special significance. It is the loyalty and commitment to one’s nation, and Aharonyan was such a person. Our youth today has other heroes. There are prominent people who are unknown to them. We must tell them about those people and their deeds."
Nare Mikaelyan, director of the Hamazkayin Armenia Office, said that though Aharonian had been much talked about as a national-state figure at different occasions and at different times, but still there is need to evaluate Aharonian as a writer. "This collection allows us to confidently say that it will be a new impetus to assess the eminent writer Avedis Aharonian and his great merit."
Secretary of the Union of Writers of Armenia, Petros Demirchyan, literary critic, Doctor of Philology, Gagik Khachikian, ARF Bureau's Press Officer Artashes Shahbazian and others thanked the participants and the organizers of the presentation.
The presentation was followed by the Hamazkayin Association’s and the Hagop Garapents Foundation’s annual scholarship awarding ceremony. Scholarship named after a diasporan Armenian prominent writer Hagop Garapents, was granted to five young Armenian students showing high progress, having creative talent, making their first literary steps, and inspiring hope that the spiritual is their lifestyle. While awarding the scholarships, Director of the Hamazkayin Armenia Office, Nare Mikaelyan, wished good luck to the scholars, stating that the scholarship holders were the ones who should continue their way in contemporary Armenian literature.
Hagop Garabents scholarship was awarded to YSU Armenian Philology Faculty students Vahagn Amirjanian, Arlina Sargsyan, YSU Faculty of History student Anna Torosian, YSU Faculty of Journalism student Lusine Atabekian, and Hamlet Ghukasian, from ASUE.
Hamazkayin's Armenia Office:
May 30, 2017