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An All-Armenian conference entitled "Istanbul Armenian Literature from the Mid-20th Century to the Present Day" started on September 23 upon the initiative of ASPU and “Hamazkayin” Armenian Educational and Cultural Society.
The event was attended by representatives of scientific and educational institutions of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora, famous intellectuals, literary experts, and students.
Bishop Anushavan Zhamkochyan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Dean of the Theology Faculty at Yerevan State University, conveyed the attendees the blessing of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.
"Western Armenian literature has faced a lot of challenges, ominous clouds have been overhead over the last 120 years, but that enlightened and bright literature, despite the blows of fate, has survived, filled the world with its amazing vitality and come back," said Suren Danielyan, Director of ASPU’s Spyurq (Diaspora) Scientific-Educational Centre.
He expressed hope that the reports presented at the literary and cognitive All-Armenian Conference will testify to that return [of the literature] from the middle of the 20th century to the present day, revealing the bright and dark sides Istanbul Armenian literature.
Suren Danielyan also conveyed the blessing of His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople.
The conference participants were then welcomed by ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan who said in her speech that literature shapes the hero of the given time, reading makes a person feel empathic and gives the opportunity to associate oneself with a certain value system, having qualitative developments.
Professor Gevorgyan thinks that ‘complicated issues of literature should be left to experts;’ the presented topics will offer new solutions and options through discussions.
Zakar Keshishian, Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the “Hamazkayin” Armenian Educational and Cultural Society in Lebanon, says it is no accident that the conference dedicated to Istanbul Armenian literature is being held at the most decisive and fateful moment in modern Armenian history.
The speaker is deeply concerned: ‘Western Armenian is seriously endangered.’ “Parallel to the national disasters, the conference dedicated to literary legacy of Istanbul Armenian literature is an important step to arouse interest [in the Homeland] in literary values of Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian," Mr. Keshishian said.
Ruzan Arakelian, Director of Hamazkayin's Yerevan Office, added in turn that political scientists may not be able to say what the literature says. The latter thinks one of the characteristics of Istanbul Armenian literature is that through fine art, Istanbul-based writers were able to convey the prevailing atmosphere, people’s concerns and perception of the world around them, which formed the vision for the future. "Istanbul Armenian literature became the force that saved the moral values and tribal knowledge, formulating the imperative to be able to live as a nation and to maintain the instinct of survival."
Secretary of the Union of Writers of Armenia, Petros Demirchyan, welcomed the participants of the conference on behalf of the structure leadership.
In their reports, the conference participants referred to Istanbul Armenian literature and writers from the mid-20th century to the present day, and discussed a number of issues within the Istanbul Armenian community.
On the eve of the conference, ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan received a group of representatives of the Diaspora. The parties discussed a number of issues of bilateral interest and visited the ASPU Museum to get acquainted with the rich history of the University that is marking its 100th anniversary in 2022.
