ARMENIAN TRANSLATION OF HRANT DINK’S BOOK LAUNCHED IN YEREVAN
Tert.am
15:56 ~U 23.12.09
Turkish journalist of Armenian descent Hrant Dink’s book, roughly
translated to Two Close Peoples, Two Distant Neighbours, had its
Armenian launch at the Institute of Oriental Studies Institute at
the Armenian National Academy of Sciences today. As informed by the
Armenian publisher and translator Mkrtich Sumunjyan, the Turkish
version of the book was published in 2008.
Sumunjyan explained how for a long time, he was unable to locate the
Turkish publication, so that he may translate it. In this endeavour,
he was assisted by Dink’s brother, Yervand.
Sumunjyan mentioned that this new Armenian translation makes it
possible for Armenian readers to become better acquainted with
the journalist. "Unfortunately, I didn’t know Dink [personally],
though when I was a student I read his articles," noted the Armenian
publisher.
The book presents Hrant Dink’s approach to the issue of
Armenian-Turkish relations. Sumunjyan dedicates his translated version
to the memory of the well-known journalist.
RA Minister of Diaspora Affairs Hranush Hacobyan, in turn, described
her memories of meeting Dink. According to her, the "great Armenian
man’s" grandiose thoughts surprised her.
Hacobyan also recalled the candle-lighting ceremony in central
Yerevan dedicated to his memory, as well as the now famous slogan
"1.5 million + 1".
"Dink became the victim of today’s genocide," noted the diasporan
affairs minister, citing a few of Dink’s thoughts on the Armenian
Genocide: "The Genocide is an open wound which can never be healed."