Each and every year should be considered 'The year of the Armenian language'

By Nishan Basmajian

Azad-Hye special

I refer to Catholicos Aram I's declaration of the year 2007 as "The year of the Armenian Language" and my subsequent comment*.

Recently I was reading an article in Aztag daily newspaper (1st October 2007 issue) with the following title: "Vdankevadz lezounerou tej vayrer" (Location list of endangered languages), where Ms L.Guloyan-Srabian quotes and comments on the research about languages in danger. The research is done by two linguists, D. Harrison and L. Campbell.

As per Prof. Harrison, in most of the cases it is the children who decide to abandon a mother tongue. Children living in environments where two languages are spoken tend to use the higher evaluated language and they abandon the one which is given less importance (makes sense!). Read more.

Chair of Western Armenian Language in Yerevan State University

Azad-Hye Special

The Yerevan State University (YSU) announces that starting from the academic year 2008 - 2009 students will be able to enroll at the newly formed "Chair of Western Armenian Language" within the Faculty of Armenian Philology.

The tuition would be US$ 1.100 yearly (or the equivalent).

The University undertakes to secure free residence permits for overseas students covering their period of study. Read more.

'The knock at the door' wins USA News Best Book of 2007 Award

Memoir of Armenian Genocide sweeps World History Category

A book by Margaret Ajemian Ahnert

Synopsis: In 1915, Armenian in Turkey were forced to change their religion, barred from speaking their language, and often driven out of their homes as the Turkish army embarked on a widespread campaign of intimidation and murder. In this riveting book, Margaret Ajemian Ahnert relates her mother Ester's terrifying experiences as a young woman during this period of hatred and brutality.

At age 15, Ester was separated from her foster family during a forced march away from her birth town of Amasia. Though she faced unspeakable horrors at the hands of many she met on the road, and was forced into an abusive marriage against her will, she never lost her faith, quick wit, or ability to see the good in people. Eventually she escaped and made her way to America. Read more.

Constantinople 1920: a new book by Haig Tahta

Constantinople 1920, the second book in Haig Tahta's projected trilogy, chronicles the impending fall of the Ottomans and explores the circumstances and atmosphere of Constantinople during the British occupation of the city from 1920 to 1922. It carries forward the same characters from Mr. Tahta’s first novel, April 1915 (See Azad-Hye article here), set in the Ottoman Empire at a critical moment following its fateful decision to join the Great War in November 1914.

Olga, an Armenian girl, and Selim, a Turk, are impossibly in love. Their relationship, much more difficult and problematic than Romeo and Juliet, develops and unfolds during the Greco-Turkish War, reaching its shocking climax in the burning of Smyrna. An historical novel of deep insight and high passions, Constantinople 1920 brings to focus a time which echoed throughout the world and set in train events that would engulf Europe in flames a few decades later. Read more.

Pro Educatio raises questions on Melkonian Educational Institute

A Paris based forum called "Pro Educatio" has recently issued a communique titled "Remarks and Questions on issues of minorities and human rights in relation with Melkonian Educational Institute".

See below parts of this communique compiled for our readers: (The complete text in PDF format is availabe here). The Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI), based on its campus in Nicosia, Cyprus closed its doors in June 2005 to students coming mostly from overseas countries where people of the Armenian Diaspora are settled. The MEI is closed down by the decision of the Board of Directors of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) with its Head offices in New York, USA. Read more.