On October 9, the Writers’ Home in Tsaghkadzor hosted the inauguration of the 6^th Conference of Diaspora Armenian Writers Composing in Armenian and Foreign Languages under the title “Modern Armenian Writers and Literature Facing the Challenges of the 21^st Century”.

The conference has gathered 46 writers from Artsakh and 14 other countries, including Iran, Georgia, Syria, the USA, Turkey, Russia, Abkhazia, Romania, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, the UK, France and Lebanon).

Deputy Minister of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Srapionyan conveyed Minister Hranush Hakobyan’s welcoming remarks to the participants of the conference, which particularly reads as follows:

“Dear compatriots,

I express my greetings to you all and congratulate you on the inauguration of the Sixth Conference of Diaspora Armenian Writers Composing in Armenian and Foreign Languages.

Under the influence of foreign cultures and civilizations, a large part of the Armenian people lives with the daily problem of maintaining and not losing the “ego” of the nation.

The Armenian family, language, culture and religion have an irreplaceable role in this regard, but it is individuals who are the defenders of family, language, culture and religion and the guarantor of their existence.

In this sense, Armenian writers deserve appraisal. In all times, they have had a great impact on public and political life and have been and still are the pioneers who paved the way for preservation of the Armenian identity. Armenian writers in general, and in the past century, Diaspora Armenian writers have accomplished their mission for preservation of the Armenian identity with their high level of awareness, dedication and exceptional responsibility.

The current generation of Armenian writers is continuing the nice traditions of its predecessors, including Mushegh Ishkhan, Andranik Tsarukyan, Nikoghayos Sarafyan and other greats.”

RA Deputy Minister of Culture Nerses Ter-Vardanyan conveyed the blessing of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to the participants of the conference.

In his welcoming remarks, President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Edward Militonyan briefly talked about the problems that Armenian writers have had and still have in Armenia and abroad.

Director of the M. Abeghyan Literature Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia V. Devrikyan, as well as members of the Union of Writers of Armenia, literary critics and writers gave their speeches at the conference.

The event also featured the showing of books by Diaspora Armenian writers, after which the writers visited Kecharis Monastery.

The sessions will continue in Tsaghkadzor and Yerevan. There will also be visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex.

The conference will end on October 12.