On February 7, the hall of the Union of Writers of Armenia was packed with intellectuals, literary critics, historians and journalists who had come to participate in the presentation of the Turkish version of the book “With the Obligation to Tell the Truth” by beloved TV journalist, intellectual, writer and publicist Angela Sahakyan, who is currently based in Paris.

In his welcoming remarks, President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Eduard Militonyan attached importance to the event, introduced the attendees to the works and career of Angela Sahakyan and said such meetings would be ongoing in order to introduce the Armenian public to contemporary writers and intellectuals living and creating abroad. The President of the Union of Writers of Armenia added that Angela Sahakyan’s books will also be translated into English, Russian and German in the near future.

In closing, Eduard Militonyan awarded Angela Sahakyan the Commemorative Medal of the Union of Writers of Armenia for her longstanding merit and pro-national activities.

Among other speakers were literary critic Armen Hovhannisyan, Anush Vardanyan and the translator and editor of the Turkish version Hagop Chakrian, as well as TV journalist Janna Ghochikyan, President of the Armenian Culture Fund and author of the book’s preface and epilogue Arevshat Avagyan, who stated that Sahakyan had been awarded the Fridtjof Nansen Medal the day before.

The event ended with the speech by Angela Sahakyan, who thanked the attendees and the organizers and called on intellectuals to refrain from distorting moral values.

Angela Sahakyan has been living in Paris for over 15 years. She was born on July 1, 1952 in the Vank village of Martakert region of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

She has worked at Armenian Public Television, written books and produced films. Today, she is a commentator for AYB-FM in Paris, as well as the creator and host of the “Stories of Artsakh” series, the “Armenian Presses” series and the “Open Letter with the Obligation to the Tell the Truth” series.

The book “With the Obligation to Tell the Truth” presents facts about the assaults and massacres perpetrated against the Armenian people during the Armenian Genocide, as well as the Artsakh war and the genocide that continues to this day. The book presents the author’s publications and eyewitness accounts and documents with irrefutable justifications.

The book is presented with two titles. The part “Open Letters to the World” presents the eyewitness accounts and facts of the Armenian Genocide, while the part “The Armenian Genocide Continues” covers the Sumgait and Baku pogroms, the struggle for the liberation of Artsakh and the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The book has been published in Armenian, French and Turkish.

Garik Avetisyan

Photos by Sirarpi Karapetyan