THE ARMENIAN LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE IN GERMANY: MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Ofelya Sargsyan
hetq
16:20, April 2, 2012
This year UNESCO declared Yerevan as the World Book Capital, based
on 500- year anniversary of Armenian printing (1512-2012). Meanwhile,
the German-Armeniansī Central Council announced 2012 as the Armenian
library and archive establishment year in Germany. Therefore, the
Armenian communities and organizations will organize various events
in honor of the jubilee year, and in sake of the establishment of the
Armenian library and archive. Of this series the first program realized
the Hamburg-based "Kilikia" Youth Union presenting a literature
evening dedicated to the well- known Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak in
Leipzig on March 10.
"KiliKia" Youth Union initiated the literature evening dedicated to
P. Sevak in 2010 and first presented this two-hour literature evening
in the Hamburg-based Armenian Union.
In March 2011 due to the 3-day invitation by the Union of the Armenian
Academics-1860 (AAV-1860) "Kilikia" presented the program in Bochum,
Ruhr .
A member of the "Kilikia" Youth Union and the initiator of the project
dedicated to P. Sevak, Ani Margkaryan says, "Our primary goal is to
introduce the Armenian poet and his activities to the young living
in Germany as well as evoke love and interest towards the Armenian
culture, which at some level we managed to do". One of the leaders
of the Leipzig-based Armenian community, Anahid Babayan mentioned,
"It is symbolic that the Leipzig-based Armenian community was the
first to realize a cultural event from the series of programs in
honor of the Armenian Library and Archive year in Germany as it was
here that the first Armenian scientific-cultural center, the Union
of the Armenian Academics was founded in 1860. So, let it also in
the case of the library the sun of the Armenian community rise in
the most eastern Armenian community of Germany.
The President of the German-Armeniansī Central Council Azat Ordukhanyan
made the following comment regarding the event: "Such programs
contribute to the strengthening of the inter-community communication
and create a mutual understanding between the Armenians living in
different cities, provide opportunity to exchange experience, which
is strictly necessary in the Diaspora".
Through the decision of the "Kilikia" Youth Union and the Leipzig-based
Armenian community all the proceeds from the evening will be presented
to the fund for the creation of the Armenian library and archive in
Germany. The idea of establishing an Armenian library and archive
in Germany is a program developed by the Union of the Armenian
Academics-1860 for years. It was offered to the German-Armeniansī
Central Council so as to be realized by all the Armenian communities
and unions in Germany. Since 2011 the German-Armeniansī Central Council
has started a large-scale action towards this direction by sending
the program to about 6000 Armenian addresses, organizing telethons in
September- October, which will still have continuation this year. In
addition to the cultural programs within the framework of the jubilee
year, the organization of telethons, the German-Armeniansī Central
Council is also looking for donors for this important and significant
project.
The fund for the establishment of the library will be the 300 books
collected by the Union of the Armenian Academics-1860. There are also
a lot of promises to make book donations. Azat Ordukhanyan notes:
"For the Armenian community of about 65 000 in Germany it is of
great importance to have a library as apart from the daily use, the
establishment of the library and archive is also in line with the
German-Armeniansī Central Councilīs strategy which is to restore the
image of the Armenians as the nation of science and culture".
It remains to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the
Jubilee year and establish in Germany a new institution meeting the
requirements of the 21st century, the Armenian Library and Archive.
Ofelya Sargsyan
hetq
16:20, April 2, 2012
This year UNESCO declared Yerevan as the World Book Capital, based
on 500- year anniversary of Armenian printing (1512-2012). Meanwhile,
the German-Armeniansī Central Council announced 2012 as the Armenian
library and archive establishment year in Germany. Therefore, the
Armenian communities and organizations will organize various events
in honor of the jubilee year, and in sake of the establishment of the
Armenian library and archive. Of this series the first program realized
the Hamburg-based "Kilikia" Youth Union presenting a literature
evening dedicated to the well- known Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak in
Leipzig on March 10.
"KiliKia" Youth Union initiated the literature evening dedicated to
P. Sevak in 2010 and first presented this two-hour literature evening
in the Hamburg-based Armenian Union.
In March 2011 due to the 3-day invitation by the Union of the Armenian
Academics-1860 (AAV-1860) "Kilikia" presented the program in Bochum,
Ruhr .
A member of the "Kilikia" Youth Union and the initiator of the project
dedicated to P. Sevak, Ani Margkaryan says, "Our primary goal is to
introduce the Armenian poet and his activities to the young living
in Germany as well as evoke love and interest towards the Armenian
culture, which at some level we managed to do". One of the leaders
of the Leipzig-based Armenian community, Anahid Babayan mentioned,
"It is symbolic that the Leipzig-based Armenian community was the
first to realize a cultural event from the series of programs in
honor of the Armenian Library and Archive year in Germany as it was
here that the first Armenian scientific-cultural center, the Union
of the Armenian Academics was founded in 1860. So, let it also in
the case of the library the sun of the Armenian community rise in
the most eastern Armenian community of Germany.
The President of the German-Armeniansī Central Council Azat Ordukhanyan
made the following comment regarding the event: "Such programs
contribute to the strengthening of the inter-community communication
and create a mutual understanding between the Armenians living in
different cities, provide opportunity to exchange experience, which
is strictly necessary in the Diaspora".
Through the decision of the "Kilikia" Youth Union and the Leipzig-based
Armenian community all the proceeds from the evening will be presented
to the fund for the creation of the Armenian library and archive in
Germany. The idea of establishing an Armenian library and archive
in Germany is a program developed by the Union of the Armenian
Academics-1860 for years. It was offered to the German-Armeniansī
Central Council so as to be realized by all the Armenian communities
and unions in Germany. Since 2011 the German-Armeniansī Central Council
has started a large-scale action towards this direction by sending
the program to about 6000 Armenian addresses, organizing telethons in
September- October, which will still have continuation this year. In
addition to the cultural programs within the framework of the jubilee
year, the organization of telethons, the German-Armeniansī Central
Council is also looking for donors for this important and significant
project.
The fund for the establishment of the library will be the 300 books
collected by the Union of the Armenian Academics-1860. There are also
a lot of promises to make book donations. Azat Ordukhanyan notes:
"For the Armenian community of about 65 000 in Germany it is of
great importance to have a library as apart from the daily use, the
establishment of the library and archive is also in line with the
German-Armeniansī Central Councilīs strategy which is to restore the
image of the Armenians as the nation of science and culture".
It remains to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the
Jubilee year and establish in Germany a new institution meeting the
requirements of the 21st century, the Armenian Library and Archive.