On May 26, the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan launched a two-day international conference dedicated to the 150^th birth anniversary of great pedagogue Hovhannes Hindlian.

The conference was organized by the University’s “Diaspora” Scientific-Educational Center, as well as the Chairs of New and Modern Armenian Literature, Vocational Education and Applied Pedagogy. The event was sponsored by the University and the Society for Assistance to Istanbul-Armenians of New York (CARS, chairman Berdj Araz), as reported the news department of “Diaspora” Scientific-Educational Center to Hayern Aysor.

The Armenian Diaspora was represented by many guests, teachers and organizers of education. The foreign guests were warmly received by Rector of the University Ruben Mirzakhanyan, who is well aware of the educational issues in the Diaspora and talked about the educational directions and modern innovative approaches of the Armenian State Pedagogical University.

The guests visited the University’s museum and viewed the exhibition showcasing Levon Lajigian’s graphic works with the title “Constantinople Near and Far”.

Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Firdus Zakaryan gave welcoming remarks at the conference on behalf of the RA Minister of Diaspora. He wished the conference success and emphasized the fact that the pedagogical conference was unique, which is not always the case since the participants from the Diaspora alone were Karapet Dakesyan (France), Silva Gouyoumjian and Artashes Markosian (Turkey), Rosita Yousefian (Argentina), Armen Kurkjian (Canada), Hrayr Jebejian (Cyprus), Gabriel Sultanian (England), Aida Minasian, Toros Toranian (Syria) and others.

In her opening remarks, the University’s Pro-Rector for Education and Science Srbuhi Gevorgyan weighed in on the tremendous merit of pedagogues and indicated the directions that the Armenian State Pedagogical University has adopted.

In their reports, speeches and during the discussions, the participants showed the greatness of Hovhannes Hindlian not only during his living years, but also after his death, affirming his presence, the viability of his pedagogical views in our days, which was perhaps the main feature of this conference.

Most of the reports were devoted to how the modern methodology of education used to be perceived and how it is seen now (Karapet Dakesyan, Aida Topuzyan, Julieta Gyulamiryan-all from Armenia).

Suren Danielyan and Ashot Galstyan particularly touched upon the essence of Hindlian the artist, the pedagogue and the scholar, while Director of the Central School of Istanbul Silva Gouyoumjian gave a comprehensive analysis of the type of a pedagogue and particularly touched upon the rich tradition of Hindlian’s “New School” and the modern-day Central School in science and methodology, adding that Hindlian played a tremendous role and made great contributions.

Student of Hindlian’s school, Armen Kurkjian from Toronto added flavor to the conference by sharing his memories of the air and atmosphere during the living years of Hindlian.

Reporters Gaiane Khalatyan, Laura Asatryan and Naira Toghanyan weighed in on the peculiarities of Hindlian’s model of educational activities and his views.

Hrayr Jebejian stood out with his in-depth comparisons of Christian theology that revealed another side of Hindlian’s pedagogy and Christian values.

The presence of the great Western Armenian pedagogue in Armenia was established by the opening of the Hindlian Scientific-Methodical Center/School located in Kayan town of Tavush Province, and coordinator of the Hindlian School Program in Armenia Levon Latchikyan elaborated on that.

In the early hours of May 27, the participants of the conference headed towards Hovhannes Hindlian School in Kayan town. In Ijevan they were greeted and blessed by leader of the local diocese, Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan. Near the entrance to the school, the students and teachers, under the leadership of Principal Lena Vardanyan, greeted them with salt and bread, as well as performances of songs and dances. The participants were immediately struck by the dance performed by girls dressed in camouflage. This is where the Homeland starts from. Here everyone is a border guard. These children hear the sounds of shootings and overcome the panic every day.

The third and final session moderated by Hrayr Jebejian from Cyprus began after the school principal’s welcoming remarks and the introduction of the event organizer Suren Danielyan at the crowded hall of the school where one could feel the air and spirit of Hindlian, hear the sounds of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, see the images of the “New School” and the schools of Constantinople, the smile of the great teacher and hear the meaningful thoughts and sayings of the outstanding pedagogue. In the beginning, Jebejian said he was nervous and expressed his admiration of the idea of holding a conference at the school. He appreciated the speeches that were made the day before and called the six reporters to the stage.

In her speech, Gaiane Aghuzumtsyan placed emphasis on the principles of happiness of Hindlian that led to the period of formation of European thinking. Knarik Abrahamyan built her speech on Hindlian the teacher and person, demanding the need for the formation of a new system of evaluation of literature and culture.

Armine Dallakyan found it appropriate to call the people’s attention to the modern interpretations of the “New School”, and Armen Harutyunyan tried to see the mission of Hindlian in the students’ aesthetic education, starting from domestic life, cleaning and understanding of aestheticism. The report by Zaruhi Asatryan and Yelena Grigoryan touched upon the need for partnership between the school and the family that was of vital significance for Hindlian. Susan Sisyan alos discussed the pedagogical features of Hindlian within the scope of the same moral discipline.

In his closing speech following the discussions, Suren Danielyan praised the international conference, mentioned that the scientific and methodological level of the speeches was acceptable and expressed deep gratitude to not only the guests, but also the Society for Assistance to Istanbul-Armenians in New York (CARS), its chairman Berdj Araz and President of the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan, Chairman of the Office of Tekeyan Cultural Association in Armenia Ruben Mirzakhanyan.

The Tekeyan Cultural Association has organized several traditional cultural and educational events, and as representative of the US and Canada Chapters of Tekeyan Cultural Association in Armenia Gaiane Muradyan (representative of the Armenian State Pedagogical Univeristy) sharply mentioned at the end, there is another tradition, that is, the Hindlian tradition, and in this sense the extract from Tekeyan’s work entitled “Rising” read by the University’s student Seda Aslanyan already showed the intimacy of the two artist-pedagogues with Hindlian.

Let us mention that students of the University Nune Arakelyan, Tatev Khachatryan, Arevhat Ghazaryan, and Anna Poghosyan, led by applicant Nelly Tadevosyan, voluntarily participated in the two-day conference. They not only got to know Hindlian, but also learned perhaps one of the most significant lessons in pedagogy. This also served as another opportunity and another expression of the relationship between schools and universities that will surely guide many students of the Hindlian school and schools in the nearby villages to the Armenian State Pedagogical University, as Suren Danielyan mentioned.

At the end, the participants engaged in a direct conversation about Hindlian and his time, the problems with education in our days, the serious period for the nation and politics today and notable events in literary and cultural life. During the conversations between the intellectuals of Armenia and the Diaspora, other participants recited poems, sang songs and shared their great impressions of the Haghartsin Monastery.