On June 10, Armenian American poet Tamara Hovhannisyan presented her collections of poems entitled “Symphony of Existence” and “The Woman” at the RA Ministry of Diaspora. Among the participants were RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, as well as Armenologists, artists and guests.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan gave a welcome speech in which she particularly mentioned the following: “For me, Tamara Hovhannisyan is a breakthrough artist because in spite of her fruitful activities in the sphere of literature, she has never published her works due to her infinite modesty. That’s why very few people know her in Armenia.” Minister Hranush Hakobyan mentioned that the presentation was also aimed at filling the gap. “In just four years after moving to the United States in 1988, Tamara started teaching at the University of International Relations in Monterrey, California. In 1995, she defended her dissertation on “The Love Songs of Vahan Tekeyan” in Armenia and was granted the title of candidate of philological sciences. It’s not by chance that the academic supervisor for Tamara’s dissertation was great Armenologist and academician Sergey Sarinyan, and the editor and author of the preface of these two collections is renowned literary critic David Gasparyan,” the minister emphasized.

The RA Minister of Diaspora attached importance to the fact that Tamara Hovhannisyan is a member of the U.S. Congress Business Council, the honorary doctor of various Art Academies outside of Armenia and has received the Ronald Reagan Gold Medal.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan granted the “Ambassador of the Mother Language” Medal of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Tamara Hovhannisyan for her efforts for the preservation of Armenian identity, the preservation and development of Armenian language, as well as her contributions to providing Diaspora Armenian youth with an Armenian education and upbringing.

Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor David Gasparyan praised the efforts of the RA Ministry of Diaspora aimed at helping gifted Diaspora Armenian intellectuals acknowledged in the Homeland and mentioned the following as he presented the writer’s collection of poems entitled “Symphony of Existence”: “The author seeks the moments of self-recognition by addressing and through transitions. It’s not merely about the roots, but more about the roots of her hair. It’s not merely about her experiences, but the feelings that become experiences. The author complains about the materialistic world, as well as the atmosphere in which everyone cheats each other and spreads lies.”

RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora and literary critic Serzh Srapionyan talked about how he examined the collection of poems entitled “The Woman” and mentioned: “Tamara Hovhannisyan’s poems are perceived as a general composition of literary works and an entire work with a plot.”

Reading excerpts from the author’s poems, Srapionyan drew the participants’ attention to the melancholy that is characteristic of Tamara Hovhannisyan’s poems.

Expressing gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora and especially the minister for paying homage to her and organizing a meeting that helped strengthen her bonds with readers in Armenia, Tamara Hovhannisyan mentioned the following: “These are instants of joy for me, and I’ll remember them as I go back to the States.”

The poet emphasized that she has always tried not to lose the basis of her existence while living overseas. “The Homeland was and still is the only home in my soul. Today, I realized that no matter how often I visit the Homeland, I’m still the girl from Armenia,” she mentioned.

At the end, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan wished Tamara Hovhannisyan more success in her career. “I’m happy that through Tamara Hovhannisyan we got to know the real Armenian woman, human being, writer, businesswoman, artist and simply a modest Armenian woman.”