OUR FRIEND AHMAD NURIZADE

Azg/am
27 Oct 04

My good friend Ahmad Nurizade called me two days ago telling that
his newly translated book is already at the publishing house. In a
short while the Iranian readers will have the chance of reading in
Iranian the works of Armenian contemporary poets.

Today Iran is the only country most productively involved in
translation of Armenian literature. Ahmad Nurizade, admirer
of Armenian literature, organizes translation into Iranian and
publication of the books. He has issued 27 books so far most of
which are already sold. “Wonderful Power”, “How do you do man”,
(those two are translations of Galust Khanentsâ~@~Y poetry), one of
Hovhannes Tumanianâ~@~Ys anthologies, “Tsolak” (Asel Bakuntsâ~@~Y
“White Horse”), Nar-Dosâ~@~Y novel “Zazunya” (was published under the
title of “Amalia”), “100 Years of Armenian Poetry” anthology and many
others were translated by Nurizade. Then publication of “History and
Culture if Armenia” and an anthology including works of Vahagn Davtian,
Silva Kaputikian and contemporary poets followed.

This is really a tremendous job that Ahmad Nurizade has taken up and
we should be thankful to him. Armenian literary critics have highly
valued Nurizadeâ~@~Ys “100 Years of Armenian Poetry” and “History and
Culture of Armenia”. Valeri Brusovâ~@~Ys Russian anthology of Armenian
poetry was considered most unbeatable one for its translation till
lately. But Nurizadeâ~@~Ys anthology overcame Brusovâ~@~Ys not only
in quantity but also quality of translation. The volume presenting
Armenian culture and history provides encyclopedical information on
pre-Christian Armenia, peopleâ~@~Ys beliefs, culture and arts.

When Ahmad Nurizade was in Armenia recently, I saw more than 100
books with Armenian authorsâ~@~Y warm inscription at his hotel
room. Those were books published last year and not all of them are
of high value. But our friend Ahmad is able to distinguish works of
eternal value and translate them.

Each time in Armenia, Ahmad feels as though coming to a friendâ~@~Ys
home.

“I always mentioned in my interviews that I am coming to a friendâ~@~Ys
home, I am coming to a country that I love and people of which loves
me too”, he said once.

You are always welcomed in Armenia, our friend, because what you take
from here enriches not only you but also us.

By Sergey Galoyan

–Boundary_(ID_3Qng6xkUJgH2vwBOdnY4nw)–