Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
 Monday



February 19 – Armenia celebrates Book Giving Day



YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Literature, book are our close
friends and relatives. They open new horizons for us, enable us to
recognize the world, complex human relationships, teach us to love,
dream and fight. February 19, the birthday of renowned Armenian poet
Hovhannes Tumanyan, is celebrated in Armenia as the Book Giving Day
aimed at increasing the interest and love towards books.

The holiday was introduced in Armenia since 2008 thanks to the
initiative of late President of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Levon
Ananyan.

Culture minister Armen Amiryan told Armenpress that he hasn’t yet
decided what books he are going to give, but added that on that day he
will visit the National Children's Library named after Khnko Aper to
participate in the 14th traditional Yerevan Book fair for children. “I
will choose any book for children and on that day I will read a fairy
tale for kids”, the minister said.

According to him, this holiday is very important to once again draw
the attention of our public to the book, book publishing and to
attract towards the writers in general. “I think in this sense more is
needed to be done than the Book holiday and giving books to each
other. More large-scale events can be held in this regard”, he added.

Giving books to each other already becomes a very good tradition in Armenia.

According to the decision of the Armenian government, the culture
ministry and the Writers’ Union of Armenia every year distribute
books, which were published by the state assistance and were not sold,
between the libraries of provinces and communities, as well as those
of Artsakh and Javakheti.