ON THE EVE OF CELEBRATIONS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 April 05

In summer Artsakh is going to celebrate the 1600th anniversary of
invention of the Armenian alphabet and foundation of the school in
Amaras. The celebrations will take place on June 3 – 5. By the January
26 decision of the NKR government a republic committee in charge of
organization of celebrations was set up, and the program of
celebrations was adopted. We talked to the chairman of the committee,
NKR vice prime minister Ararat Danielian for information about the
preparations for the celebration. He said that the all-Armenian
significance of the event obliges them to get ready for it seriously.

Therefore, several working groups were set up under the committee for
better coordination of work. Once a month the committee meets to
discuss the work done and consider proposals. The celebrations are
organized in accordance with the adopted schedule. The first point on
the list is the publication of the book `Artsakhfrom Ancient Times to
Our Days’. The book will come out on these days. The next event is
publication and staging of a production of `Mashtots in Amarasâ=80=9D
at Stepanakert Dramatic Theatre after V. Papazian. The scenery and
costumes are ready. The committee visited the monastery of Amaras,
where the premiere of `Mashtots in Amaras’ will take place in the open
air. A theatrical event with 200 participants will take place
there. The representatives of almost all the cultural centers of
Karabakh will take part in it. The performance will be special in the
sense of combination of natural and artificial scenery part of which
will be personages wearing national costumes (a blacksmith, women
grinding grain, spinning thread, making national dishes, etc.)
imparting the festivity withethnic colouring. The memorial plaque
devoted to the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian
alphabet and the foundation of the school in Amaras will be
opened. One of the most important events devoted to the jubilee is the
international scientific conference, and much work is done to organize
it duly. As the celebration is of all-Armenian character, a similar
committee was set up in the Republic of Armenia too. Certainly, they
cooperate and coordinate their work. The members of our committee
regularly visit Yerevan to extend to them the proposals set forward in
Artsakh. Colour booklets and posters will be published in Armenia, the
emblem of the celebrations and the conference, the design of the
memory medal are ready. The committee in charge of the program of the
conference is preparing the proceedings of the conference for
publication. Already a great number of articles have been submitted
to the committee on the subject. A large number of guests are expected
to arrive in Karabakh from abroad. Among them there will be both
Armenians and foreigners. Already several applications have been
sent. Although the main events are scheduled on June3 – 5, the
celebrations have already begun and will last till the end of the
year.A composition contest is held at schools. A scientific conference
was held at Mesrop Mashtots University. Artsakh State University
delivered lectures in the regions of Martuni, Hadrut, Martakert. As
the majority of the celebrations will take place in Amaras, building
and repairs are carried out around the monastery. Roadworks will begin
in mid-May when weather improves. Accordingto the chairman of the
committee Ararat Danielian, the invention of the alphabet has never
been celebrated so widely. Besides the spiritual and cultural role,
the celebration will also have a political role, for it will be a good
opportunity to prove to the world the unity of the Armenian
nation. The world must know Armenians not only as a nation which
survived the genocide but also a nation which has scientific and
cultural traditions and potential. A. Danielian mentioned that soon
the website devoted to the 1600th anniversary of invention of the
Armenian alphabet and the foundation of the school in Amaras will be
available.

SVETLANA KHACHATRIAN.
22-04-2005