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Yerevan World Book Capital: 8 months of infinite reading

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  • Yerevan World Book Capital: 8 months of infinite reading

    Yerevan World Book Capital: 8 months of infinite reading

    Nuné Melkoumian | Yerevan

    http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Armenia/Yerevan-World-Book-Capital-8-months-of-infinite-reading-128010
    31 December 2012


    (Foto Shutterhacks, Flickr)

    On April 22, Yerevan became the 12thcity to be designated World Book
    Capital by Unesco. A look back at the most significant projects of the
    year

    It has been almost eight months since Yerevan became the 2012 World
    Book Capital designated by UNESCO. This distinction was transferred
    from Buenos Aires to Yerevan on April 22. Every year on this day,
    which is also the World Book and Copyright Day, a new city receives
    the title of World Book Capital. Interestingly,Armenia's 12th capital
    Yerevan has also become the 12th World Book Capital in 2012.

    `I congratulate the city of Yerevan, which has presented a
    particularly interesting program with many different themes, including
    the freedom of expression, as well as several activities for children,
    who will be the readers and authors of tomorrow', said Irina Bokova,
    Director-General of UNESCO at the conclusion of the meeting of the
    selection committee which was held at UNESCO Headquarters on July 2.

    500 years of Armenian printing

    During these eight months, Armenian government implemented the program
    submitted to UNESCO in 2010. It is symbolic that this year Armenia
    also celebrates the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing. Five
    centuries ago, in Venice, Hakob Meghapart printed the first Armenian
    book with Gutenberg's invention of printing. In September, Armenian
    prime-minister Tigran Sargsyan visited the German city of Mainz, where
    he participated in the opening of an exhibition in the Gutenberg
    Museum dedicated to this anniversary.

    `Printing and the creation of the Armenian alphabet at the turn of the
    5th century - said the Armenian Prime Minister in Mainz - created a
    solid basis for the future cultural and spiritual development of the
    Armenian people'.

    The cultural and spiritual achievements of Armenia played the main
    role in creating an interesting program for the whole year. Many of
    the events were organized by the Ministry of Culture, which has also
    been overseeing the participation in book fairs all over the world
    during the past several years. It would be impossible to tell about
    the hundreds of events that took place during the past eight months,
    so we'll try to take a look back at the most significant projects of
    this year.

    One of the first international book fairs of the year, the Bologna
    International Children's Book Fair, took place in Italy in March 2012.
    Among 66 other countries Armenia presented children's national
    literature. Presentations dedicated to the 500th anniversary of
    Armenian printing and Yerevan World Book 2012 capital where also held
    in Bologna.

    Yerevan

    The formal opening took place on April 22, when Yerevan officially
    became the 2012 World Book Capital by UNESCO. A number of amazing
    open-air events all over the city attracted Yerevan citizens and
    tourists. Theatre, dance and poetic performances and concerts ran
    throughout the day. On every square children painted on the ground,
    which made the city even more colorful.

    One of the largest events, ArmBook Expo, started on April 21 at
    Cafesjian Center of Arts - the newest and the most significant museum
    of modern art in Yerevan. The exhibition included 1,800 books from
    Argentina, Austria, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia,
    Japan, Lebanon, Spain, Switzerland and other countries devoted to
    Armenians and Armenia. Guests from Buenos Aires, which held the title
    of World Book Capital during the year 2011, participated in ArmBook
    Expo. Among others, famous writer Jorge Luis Borges's wife, Maria,
    came to transfer the title of World Book Capital. A catalog devoted to
    ArmBookExpo presented all the books that will be donated to the
    National Library of Armenia after the exposition at Cafesjian Center
    of Arts.

    On April 20-25 the 6th All-Armenian Writers' Forum was held in Yerevan
    and Tsaghkadzor. The writers came from Armenia, the Republic of
    Nagorno Karabakh and 21 countries that host the Armenian Diaspora.
    More than 100 writers participated in the forum.

    But the most incredible spring gift was the concert of the famous
    Italian singer Andrea Bocelli. He performed with the Armenian
    Philharmonic Orchestra and Div4s quartet. Thousands of people came to
    Liberty Square to listen to the great Bocelli.

    The «Msho charntir» book

    The number of Yerevan's monuments increased during the last eight
    months. In April David Yerevantsi, a famous sculptor of Armenian
    descent who lives and works in France, presented a monument entitled
    "Life of Eternity". It is dedicated to the history of the famous «Msho
    charntir» book, which was divided into 2 parts during the Armenian
    Genocide. It is notable that at the most tragic time fugitives from
    the Armenian Genocide tried to take books with them. It was important
    to save the history of the whole nation with the help of the books.
    Two women saved the parts of the huge and heavy «Msho charntir» book
    and now it is kept in one of the biggest book depository of
    Matenadaran. Another prominent monument is a statue of a climbing man,
    which is created from letters of 19 different alphabets. It was
    brought from Argentina by the mayor of the World Book Capital 2011
    Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, who visited Yerevan in April.

    The exhibition `An eternity of writing' was featured at National
    History Museum, where the Museum of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
    the Matenadaran, the History museum of Armenia and the National
    Library presented their exhibits. This was the first joint exhibition
    of the major museums of Armenia.

    A lot of open-air events were organized in the summer. A Reading
    Festival in the garden in front of the Cafesjian Centre of Arts took
    place on June 21. During the festival people donated books to the
    libraries of villages and cities located near the borders of the
    country. Many school libraries there have a shortage of books for
    children. During the past eight months a number of events involved,
    among other things, collecting books for schools and libraries in
    need.

    The village of Hovhannes Tumanyan

    The fall had its share of interesting events. A beautiful autumn fairy
    tail - the International Puppet Festival, took place in the middle of
    September in village Dsegh, the birthplace of great Armenian poet and
    writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. The choice of the location was a tribute to
    Tumanyan's impact on Armenian literature for children - he was the
    author of fairy tales, poems and novels for children. Puppet theatres
    from Lithuania, Russia, Germany, Denmark, Iran, Georgia, and France
    came to Lori Province, where Dsegh is located. The beautiful nature of
    that part of Armenia inspired the participants. The festival was
    organized by the Armenian Centre of International Puppet Association
    of `UNIMA-Armenia' and supported by UNESCO. An exhibition presenting
    newest illustrated editions of Hovhannes Tumanyan and other Armenian
    writers was launched during the festival.

    In October, the Ministry of Culture launched the `Back to the Book'
    third annual festival. The event was organized in Khnko Aper National
    Children's Library. The festival included exhibitions, fairs,
    roundtable discussions, lectures and even fairy tale reading for
    children.

    In four months, Yerevan is going to transfer the title of the World
    Book Capital to Bangkok. Yet, it is too early to summarize. The
    Armenian Ministry of Culture has a condensed program for the winter
    and the first two spring months.

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