Armenia Now
July 2, 2004

Writers’ Bloc: Writers’ Bloc: Literary Conference draws authors from Armenia
and Diaspora

By Lusineh Ohanyan
ArmeniaNow correspondent More than 60 authors from 18 countries gathered in
Yerevan this week for the second All-Armenian Conference of Writers.

Organised by Armenia’s Union of Writers, the conference brought together
figures from the Republic and Diaspora to discuss developments in Armenian
literature. Levon Ananyan, President of the Union, says the first conference
in 2002 was more introductory in character since Armenian writers in
different countries had had little previous opportunity to make personal
contact.

This time, many young representatives of literature from the Diaspora
attended the event. Plenary sessions covered subjects including: “Latest
achievements of Armenian literature”, “The national school and national
literature”; and “Historical memory and modern literature”.

The conference also marked two important occasions, the 70th anniversary of
the Writers Union and the 80th anniversary of the birth of the Diaspora
writer Zahrat from Constantinople. Participants traveled to Artsakh for two
days for meetings with representatives of the intelligentsia and army.

They will also take part in an event dedicated to 150th anniversary of the
great Armenian writer Muratsan. Political discussion was not on the agenda,
however, even though many of today’s Diaspora writers are public and party
figures.

The first conference agreed three measures towards greater unity of literary
organizations of the Diaspora. A constituent conference of the Armenian
Writers of California was organized in Los Angeles, USA. Then a conference
bringing together writers from the Middle East was held in Beirut, Lebanon.
Finally, a delegation from the Writers’ Union led by Ananyan and Ruben
Hovsepyan, a National Assembly deputy, organized a recent conference of
Armenian writers from Iran.

Ananyan says that, besides literary bridges, the conference also established
an All-Armenian Literary Fund to provide support for publishing books and
developing Armenian literature. A telethon organized in Armenia has
collected about $200,000 and further collections are being arranged in
Atsakh and Diaspora communities.

The third All-Armenian Conference of Writers is already being planned. It
will likely be held in two years’ time in one of the Diaspora Communities.