The Armenians of the Czech Republic had never felt the air of Armenian poetry as they did during the event held at Prague Central Library on May 31. The literary-musical event dedicated to two great Armenian poets, Hamo Sahyan and Vahagn Davtyan was hosted by renowned reciter, Honored Artist of Armenia Silva Yuzbashyan.

Before inviting the master to the stage, Editor-in-Chief of Orer European magazine Hakob Asatryan said the following in his opening remarks: “We have a unique opportunity to get in touch with Armenian poetry, the lives and careers of great Armenian writers through an artist who has not only been by those poets’ side for many years and has accompanied them during different meetings with different Armenian communities, but has also become one of the best interpreters of their poems. Armenia’s Honored Artist Silva Yuzbashyan has been internationally recognized for a long time and has been in different Armenian-populated communities around the world.

Silva Yuzbashyan has recited the poems of great Armenian writers such as Sayat Nova, Avetik Isahakyan, Vahan Teryan, Hamo Sahyan, Yeghishe Charents, Paruyr Sevak, Hovhannes Tumanyan, Silva Kaputikyan, William Saroyan and Vahagn Davtyan. She has received several awards and prizes, but most importantly, she has been warmly received by her audiences.

Hamo Sahyan had described Yuzbashyan by saying the following: “I have always been amazed at how she feels the poem, the inspiration that the poet felt when writing the poem, and she has conveyed that feeling to her listeners. I have also been amazed at her mastery in showing all that goes on in the poem. This is what mainly makes her artistic and exceptional.”

Silva Yuzbashyan is of the opinion that whenever one faces obstacles and whenever doors are closed, he can turn to Poetry as salvation. Today, we turn to Silva Yuzbashyan to listen to the great poems by contemporary Armenian poets. As Hamo Sahyan said in his last book entitled “Don’t Mark Me Absent” (Indz Batsaka Chdnek), today, thanks to Silva, we’re not marking our greats absent,” said Orer magazine’s editor-in-chief.

No promises, no oaths,

Don’t wait and don’t examine…

In your endless and motionless march

Don’t mark me absent.

The editor-in-chief gave the floor to Temporary Charge d’Affaires of Armenia in the Czech Republic Nune Zastukhova, who greeted the gathered and thanked Yuzbashyan and the organizers. Zastukhova mentioned that Silva Yuzbashyan has dedicated her entire life to literature, is an exceptional performer, is loved by the people and it is not by chance that she is referred to as the “queen of reciting”. Zastukhova said it wasn’t by chance that the two poets, who were friends for 50 years, were being honored in Prague at the same time.

Vahagn Davtyan said it best when he was asked to describe Hamo Sahyan. “The poet Hamo Sahyan came from one of the gorges in Zangezur. No, this is not the landscape that Sahyan introduced in Armenian poetry. In his poetry there is a movement of soul, a story about a person’s soul, and a genuine poem is nothing but the story of the soul that is hidden in the depths of images…The poems by Hamo Sahyan are short and modest, and it seems as though they were created to inscribe on stones.”

Hamo Sahyan said the following about Vahagn Davtyan: “You can destroy a mountain, but you can’t destroy Vahagn’s poetry.” On another occasion, Sahyan said the following: “I love all of them, but I only envy Vahagn Davtyan because besides having something to say, he also has a story to tell and has a mind that is always troubled and always helps him find solutions, meaning he has great talent…”

Among the speakers at the event was one of the organizers of the event, publicist, correspondent for Aravot Daily in the Czech Republic Shushan Ghazaryan, who addressed the organizing of such events and said: “There is a very strange tendency in the conduct of Armenians. We are always ready to gather around national ideas, say, the Armenian Genocide commemoration, the commemorative events dedicated to Khojalu, Sumgayit and more. But what I can’t understand is why we don’t respect, appreciate and take pride in our great culture and why we don’t feel powerful with that.

However, it gives me pleasure to say that is not the case today. As I look at the Armenians in this shining hall where almost all of us know each other, I can’t hide the fact that I am proud to see that the Armenians of the Czech Republic have left their worries and have rushed to witness and participate in this truly glorious event. There are even Armenians from Austria, Ostrava, Brno, as well as the nearby small and large cities.

I thank you, dear brothers and sisters. Your presence affirms the truth that the major guarantee for solidarity of every nation is the national CULTURE.”

Afterwards, Silva Yuzbashyan took the audience on a 1.5-hour journey to the sounds of soft melodies, with the pictures of Hamo Sahyan and Vahagn Davtyan in the background and a video of the poets speaking and sharing their thoughts. Yuzbashyan shared the poets’ funny stories, interesting memories, as well as their poems devoted to love and the homeland. The event was interrupted by not only rounds of applause, but several beautiful performances of the songs “Bari Aragil” and “Chinar Es” by young Prague-Armenian musicians Sona Koloyan and Ashot Soghomonyan.

The event organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Czech Republic, the Armenian Saturday School of Prague (Principal Armen Koloyan) and ORER European magazine ended with a small reception during which the attendees shared their feelings and great impressions.

The organizers also thanked those who had helped make the beautiful event possible.

Orer