ArmenPress
Nov. 2, 2004

ARMENIAN PUBLISHERS SHOWCASED THEIR BOOKS AT ISTANBUL FAIR

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: For the first time Armenian
publishers showcased some 300 titles of their books at an international
book fair in the Turkish Istanbul from October 23 to October 30. Vahagn
Khachatrian, the chairman of the Armenian Publishers’ Association, told
Armenpress that some fifty Armenian publishers took their books,
ranging from Turkish-Armenian and vice versa conversation booklets,
dictionaries, works of Armenian classical and modern writers and also
textbooks and illustrated albums to Istanbul.
“We decided against taking historical novels to Turkey because of
our concerns that they may be perceived wrongly and cause problems,
taking instead only fiction, culture and art books,” he said, adding
also that their other concern was about whether Armenian publishers had
to participate in the book fair at all.
“But I have to admit that the Turkish society is taking great
interest in books and literature in general and our participation did
not go unnoticed by the Turkish readers and members of the local
Armenian community. Our participation was covered, apart from local
Armenian papers, also by influential Turkish newspapers Hurriyet and
others,” he said.
Khachatrian said the Turkish side promised to provide next year
Armenian publishers with 50 square meters of space instead of 12 meters
this year, free of charge. Turks also invited Armenian painters to
exhibit their works at the next fair at 100 square meters of space to
be given also free, not counting pledges to cover the traveling and
other expenses of the head of Armenian painters’ delegation.
Khachatrian drew parallels between book fairs in Istanbul, Berlin,
Frankfurt and the fair held in Yerevan saying publishers in these
countries enjoy the support and assistance of the govenrment, which is
not the case with Armenia.
He also said Armenian books may sell well only in Moscow, where
three is a strong Armenian community. “Out of 70,000 strong Armenian
community of Turkey few people can read in Armenian,” he said.
Armenian publishers were invited to participate in the fair by the
Association of Turkish Publishers and the fair’s management. Also local
community and Armenian-language newspapers assisted the delegation.