“Hayern Aysor”’s correspondent sat down for an interview with founding President of Mesrop Mashtots Speech Culture Center Nadia Antonyan.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, I know that you are not a guest at the Ministry of Diaspora and have been working here since the day of its establishment. It’s safe to say that the Ministry is also your home. Is that so?

Nadia Antonyan: You’re definitely right. It was a right description. When the Ministry of Diaspora was being established years ago, I was still working at the Ministry of Education and Science. The establishment of the Ministry of Diaspora was very close to my heart because it is called for accomplishing the goals and implementing the programs for all Armenians, and that’s why I have worked at the ministry with great pleasure, learning, taking with me my share of the burden and doing my best to support the state policy on the Armenian Diaspora. Due to circumstances, I left Armenia for a while, but I returned and continued to work at the Mesrop Mashtots Speech Culture Center, which is in collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora.

“Hayern Aysor”: Which department of the Ministry of Diaspora have you worked for since the day of the ministry’s establishment?

N. A.: I have been Head of the Division for Cultural, Youth Programs and Sports of the Department of All-Armenian Programs.

“Hayern Aysor”: Looking back, do you see changes at the RA Ministry of Diaspora?

N. A.: Of course. I see that the ministry is carrying out more programs, which are helping us meet the objectives of the nation step-by-step.

“Hayern Aysor”: Let’s talk about the Mesrop Mashtots Speech Culture Center. Who founded the Center?

N. A.: I am the founding director of the Center. The Center was founded under the patronage of great Armenian poetess Silva Kaputikyan, in association with renowned Armenian intellectuals.

“Hayern Aysor” What is the purpose of the Center?

N. A.: The goal of the Center is to present the culture of speech in Armenian, the mother language and the wonderful Armenian literature to the youth and the society in new ways and through new methods. The Center teaches the youth the culture of speech, helping them advocate the Armenian language and preserving the purity of the native language through them. Since the goals of the Center fell in line with the goals of the programs of the Ministry of Diaspora, I came to the ministry with great pleasure. One of our major objectives is to unify the Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian languages, study them and interpret the literary works created in those languages for the youth and present them to the people through them. True, the spirit of the nation is in Armenian song and dance, but it is the purest in our language and our literature. That’s why our Center was created, and we have been doing that for more than 12 years. Since the Ministry of Diaspora has included these objectives, we have to collaborate.

“Hayern Aysor”: You mentioned that the Center has been around for more than 12 years. What was the motive?

N. A.: While working at the Ministry of Education and Science, I also taught Armenian language at Yerevan State Medical University after Heratsi. It was during the cold and dark years and years without any hope. I taught the Armenian language with pleasure, but the students didn’t know the language because most of them had a Russian background and were from Russian-speaking families. The students didn’t like the Armenian language, and that drove me crazy. They would tell me the following: “Mrs. Antonyan, the Armenian that you speak is not the Armenian we hear at home or outside. The Armenian language that we hear on the streets and on radio and television is different. If we hear the Armenian that you speak, we’ll listen with pleasure”. The students’ reasons seemed to remind me about the idea of creating the Center. Years proved that the creation of the Center was a necessity and appropriate. The youth attend the lessons, learn our golden language, disseminate it and present it at various events and on radio and television. There was and there is a need for the Center.

“Hayern Aysor”: Are there any age limitations?

N. A.: If a child is very gifted, but little, we enroll him or her, but we mainly enroll those who have graduated from high school and university students. The important thing is that young Diaspora Armenians also come to our Center. Like Saroyan said, ��?the Armenian and the Armenian”. We speak in Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian, and it becomes a unique ��?symphony’ of the culture of speech in Armenian.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, does your Center have sponsors, supporters and space?

N. A.: We have a problem with space. Unfortunately, we don’t have sponsors.

“Hayern Aysor”: How do you maintain the Center?

N. A.: First Lady of the Republic of Armenia Rita Sargsyan, Chairman of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan, the RA Ministry of Culture and the RA Ministry of Defense helped us to a certain extent last year and the year before that, and I thank all the supporters, but I would like to see that become a policy so that we can advocate the Armenian language and literature not only in Armenia, but abroad as well.

“Hayern Aysor”: What are the Center’s upcoming events?

N. A.: On Feb. 21, that is, Mother Language Day, the Center will be participating in the event organized by the Ministry of Diaspora. We’ll have Armenians from Armenia and the Diaspora, presenting literary works in Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, which writers do the youth prefer?

N. A. The youth recite prose and poetry…They prefer the works by Paruyr Seva, and one of the reasons is because in terms of the era, Sevak is closer to their heart. Sevak is a poet that places more emphasis on reason. However, the youth also love the works of Sahyan, Kaputikyan, Vahagn Davtyan, Shiraz and other writers, as well as the works by Western Armenian and Diaspora Armenian writers.

“Hayern Aysor”: You mentioned that the Center lacks funding, but during your concerts, I have seen some designs on stage and have seen the youth wearing tasteful clothes…How did you procure them? Who helped you?

N. A.: The Center is a non-profit, non-commercial organization. We lack state funding and don’t have sustainable funding from the private sector. The youth aren’t paid. We might knock on some doors and address different organizations, and suddenly, an organization might want to help us, for instance, the RA Ministry of Culture, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the RA First Lady and the Ministry of Defense…We need clothes, requisites and transportation to go to shootings. We have spent the money for all that we need. Now, we have released the copy of a DVD that includes the videos of our Center.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, on the occasion of the 5^th anniversary of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, you were granted the “Ambassador of the Native Language” Medal by Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan. It seems as though the Ambassador of the Mother Language can be the Armenian who preserves the Armenian language abroad, but there is a problem with preserving the Armenian language here in our Homeland, and in this case, you are truly the Ambassador of the Mother Language…Were you expecting to receive this award, or did it come as a surprise? How did you feel when you received the award?

N. A.: It was a great honor for me. I have taught Armenian language and literature at schools, universities and at my Center for nearly 25-30 years. I love my job and have never expected an award, but I was very touched. The award made me feel more obliged to do my job until I die. Of course, it’s hard to maintain a non-governmental organization. It’s life, but also requires a lot of energy. However, it’s a joy. I must add that in 2012, on the occasion of the Independence of the Republic of Armenia, I was granted the Movses Khorenatsi Medal. Again, I do my job without any expectations, but it’s a great appreciation, a source of inspiration, and it makes me think that I haven’t lived, worked and created in vain…

I have educated generations and prepared them for life. My students have gotten married and have had children, and after them, their children also visit the Center. My only wish is to have a space for the Center and to have those advocating the Armenian language and literature a salary so that they don’t search for other jobs. After all, they have to earn a living and use transportation.

“Hayern Aysor”: You mentioned that you have visited Artsakh. Have there been performances at the military units during which you have noticed that the soldiers need soul food the most?

N. A.: We’ve visited Artsakh three times. In Shushi we presented R. Asatryan’s work entitled “Shushi”, and all the citizens of Shushi gave us a standing ovation. We also performed in Stepanakert. True, we didn’t visit the military units, but the soldiers were brought to Shushi and Stepanakert to participate in our concerts.

“Hayern Aysor”: Does the Center have a plan ahead of the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide?

N. A.: We do, but we have to find a sponsor who will provide us with funding to carry out a special program.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, you have worked with the Minister of Diaspora and have known her for a long time. Looking back, how would you describe the collaboration?

N. A.: We became friends in the past century. For me, Hranush Hakobyan has been a skillful political figure and an exceptional woman figure since the Soviet era. Later, working at the ministry, in her I saw great charm, the charm of a patriot, as well as the pure “Armenianness”. Among the state officials, I have a special attitude toward Hranush Hakobyan. I was lucky to know her late father, Rector of Gavar University Hrant Hakobyan, a royal, dignified figure, as well as her wonderful and conventional mother…The roots of the RA Minister of Diaspora trace back to these people. One can learn a lot from Hranush Hakobyan. She keeps working and implements special programs to preserve the Armenian identity. Hranush Hakobyan fights for the preservation of the Armenian identity. The fire is always burning in her.

“Hayern Aysor”: You also have that fire in you…

N. A.: Thank you. I live for my job. It’s a disease, it’s healthy, and as Metsarents said, “the non-personal is happiness”.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, who do you think is the Armenian?

N. A.: We have to awaken the “super Armenian” in the Armenian. Unfortunately, we are living in an era of a ��?cultural battle’. In this battle, we have to stand united as one and move forward. The Armenian is noble. In essence, the Armenian is the beginning of the world. The Armenian is strong. I don’t want to see Armenians broken down. The Armenian must always get back on his feet, live with hope and see the light. If not, he can be easily broken down. I get very sad when I hear Armenians say bad things about Armenians and Armenia. Armenians have great and endless potential and can rise after every storm and be reborn.

“Hayern Aysor”: Mrs. Antonyan, you truly are the unwavering developer and herald of the Armenian language and literature. Let’s end our conversation by touching upon your Center again.

N. A.: It’s true that creating literature is a great task, but it’s irrefutable that transmitting the literature to the generations is an endeavor. Thus, in an age of global developments, there is a need to continue the policy on presenting history and culture created by the lawmaker and politician for the Armenian identity, the great Mesrop Mashtots with more responsibility. Today, it is our historic responsibility to reinforce the culture of Armenian literature, transmit to the generations the potential of the National Spirit that exists in the literature that has been nourishment for our national identity, and it will help us be eternal throughout the centuries.

The mission, projects and initiatives of the Mesrop Mashtots Speech Culture Center are aimed at accomplishing the above mentioned goals, particularly through the youth’s potential. The “Armenia is My Last Name” collection of videos devoted to Armenian literature is one of the initiatives to transmit the culture of Armenian literature, our MARVELOUS, ROYAL AND GOLDEN MOTHER LANGUAGE to the new generations through modern methods. The collection presents the living and pure Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian and includes highly valuable samples of Eastern Armenian and Western Armenian literature, the national spirit in the literary works, as well as the historical, cultural, spiritual and moral values.

The videos were created on the basis of Davtyan’s poem “Debt”, Hamastegh’s poem “Spirit of the Armenian”, Saroyan’s short story “The Armenian and The Armenian” and R. Asatryan’s work “Shushi”.

The collection is for all Armenians living in Armenia and abroad, particularly the new generation of Armenians.

If Armenians want their children to become more familiar with their national roots and values, our SPIRITUAL HOMELAND AND NATIONAL SPIRIT, they have to present that series of videos called “Armenia is My Last Name”.

“Hayern Aysor”: Thank you for this meaningful interview, Mrs. Antonyan.

Interview by Karine Avagyan