200th Anniversary Of Khachatur Abovian Celebrated At The University

200TH ANNIVERSARY OF KHACHATUR ABOVIAN CELEBRATED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TARTU

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2009 12:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The University of Tartu celebrated 200th anniversary
of the founder of new Armenian literature Khachatur Abovian . A
scientific conference dedicated to the life and work of Abovyan,
photo exhibition and a concert of the students of the Tartu-based
Armenian Sunday school, was held as part of the celebration.

The events were attended by the Armenian Ambassador to Estonia Ashot
Galoyan, as well as representatives of the Armenian community, press
office of the RA foreign ministry reports.

Khachatur Abovian – Armenian writer, educator, democrat-illuminator,
founder of the new Armenian literature and new literary language,
teacher, ethnographer. He was born in the village Kanaqer near Erivan
(Yerevan) in a noble but ruined family. He studied in Echmiadzin, then
in the Nersessian seminary in Tiflis (1824-1826). He graduated from the
Dorpat University (now Tartu) in 1836. Upon returning to his homeland
to devote himself to academic work, Abovian faced hostility of the
Armenian clergy and the royal bureaucracy, because he spoke out against
dogmatism and formalism in schooling. From 1837 was superintendent
of the Tiflis district school, in 1843 transferred to the same office
in Yerevan. On April 2 (14) 1848 Abovian left home and disappeared.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS