PRESS RELEASE
HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Beirut – Lebanon
Email: mira@haigazian.edu.lb

On Saturday, May 5, 2012, Haigazian University launched the first of a
series of fine events dedicated to the 500th Anniversary of Armenian
Printing (1512 – 2012), which coincides with the 100th Anniversary of
Armenian Press in Lebanon (1912 – 2012).

This kick-off event started with a delegation from the university,
headed by University President Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian and media
editors, at Martyr’s Square in Downtown, Beirut, coinciding with the
commemoration of May 6, the Lebanese Press Martyrs’ Day. The
delegation adorned the monument to the martyrs with a wreath of
flowers and Rev. Megrdich Karagoezian, president of the Union of the
Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, offered a prayer.

The event then continued at Haigazian University, where various media
personnel, including editors, columnists, copy-editors, photographers
and others, were invited from 25 different published media outlets to
honor the workforce of the Armenian print media in Lebanon, including
newspapers, magazines and journals.

The program started with the welcoming word of University Librarian,
Ms. Sonia Sislian, in the name of the 500th Anniversary Committee. She
announced the series of events that will take place throughout the
year in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Armenian press in
Lebanon, and thanked all the Armenian media outlets for consistently
providing the library with their issues, thus enriching the
university’s collection of resources for many decades.

This was followed by the guest speaker, renowned journalist
Dr. Barouyr Aghbashian, who tackled the importance of Armenian media
in the Armenian community here in Lebanon, focusing on the media’s
role in preserving the Armenian identity and its raison d’être. In
his speech, President Haidostian noted that the success of the
Armenian community has depended on the establishment of its
well-organized institutions, in the cultural, social, educational,
political and religious spheres, as well as, certainly, the media.

The event also included the performance of a string trio, featuring 2
pieces by the famous Armenian composer Komidas.

Towards the end of the program, the media personnel were honored with
tokens of gratitude. Each Editor-in-Chief received a plaque on behalf
of their institution as well as letters of appreciation for their
designated staff members.

It is worth noting that Mr. Garo Aprahamian, faithful member of the
Haigazian University Derian Library Friends, received a special token
of appreciation for his wholehearted services in providing issues of
magazines and newspapers to the library for decades, thus playing a
significant role in enriching its collection.

From: Baghdasarian