Valuing literary heritage of Paruyr Sevak: Jubilee conference held at YSU

The jubilee conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Paruyr Sevak’s birth was launched on November 5 at the RA National Academy of Sciences, with the support of the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports. Today, the conference continued at Yerevan State University. The co-organizers of the republican conference include YSU Faculty of Armenian Philology, Division of Armenology and Social Sciences of NAS RA, M. Abeghyan Institute of Literature, Faculty of Philology at Khachatur Abovyan Armenian State Pedagogical University, and Paruyr Sevak House-Museum. 

The conference provided an opportunity for the academic community to discuss Paruyr Sevak's rich literary heritage, reinterpret it in new ways, and reflect on the uniqueness, significance, and influence of his work.

YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan highlighted the worth of Sevak’s legacy during the conference held at YSU Faculty of Armenian Philology.

"To this day, not only the wonderful poems of this talented poet, but also the scholarly articles of the insightful literary critic, along with highly valuable studies covering various periods of literature, remain on our desks. I am also proud to highlight that YSU has been dedicated to the research and teaching of Paruyr Sevak’s legacy for decades. A number of monographs and dozens of articles dedicated to him have been published by the Faculty of Armenian Philology. I am convinced that this work will continue with the efforts of our new generation, students and professors," said the YSU rector. 

Arshaluys Galstyan, the Dean of YSU Faculty of Armenian Philology, emphasized that the conference is a jubilee event for all, noting that the events dedicated to Sevak have started since the beginning of the year. 

"Yerevan State University was a place dear to Paruyr Sevak, as he was a student of the mother university. Today, the presence of our students at this event is a testament to the fact that we have an important mission to be guided by the messages of Paruyr Sevak. Even after the writer’s passing, his entire literary heritage continues to be studied and presented to the philological community, which demonstrates that our people still recognize and honor their brilliant son," emphasized the dean. He also suggested observing a minute of silence in memory of Paruyr Sevak's son, Armen Ghazaryan, a long-time lecturer and associate professor at YSU Chair of History and Literary Criticism of Modern Armenian Literature.

Within the framework of the conference, scientists and specialists from educational and scientific institutions in Armenia presented nearly four dozen reports focused on the life, literary activity, and legacy of the renowned Armenian poet, cultural figure, literary critic, and translator Paruyr Sevak. At Yerevan State University, lecturers, professors, and associate professors from the Faculty of Armenian Philology presented six reports, including: "Daniel Varuzhan in Paruyr Sevak's Works", "The Portrait of Hovhannes Tumanyan According to Sevak", "Komitas Vardapet in Life and in Paruyr Sevak's Poem The Silent Bell Tower (Prototype and Character) ", "Sevak's Interpretation of the Poetic Series ('Let There Be Light') ", "Paruyr Sevak's Novel Amanej as a Narrative Structure", and "Teaching Paruyr Sevak's Biography in Schools Using Interactive Methods."  

All reports presented at the conference, as modern studies, will be published in a separate book. According to Arshaluys Galstyan, the university students' reports are planned to be published as articles in a separate book, providing students with the opportunity to use these studies in the future.   

Sevak Ghazaryan, the Director of Paruyr Sevak House-Museum, literary critic, and Candidate of Philological Sciences, as well as Paruyr Sevak's grandson, also welcomed the idea of publishing a separate book. He noted that not everyone has the opportunity to visit the museum and hear these reports in person.

"Events dedicated to Sevak are held regularly, but this one stands out for its inclusiveness. I sincerely hope that it will provide new momentum for the continued study of Sevak's works, which remains essential. This is a very important event, and I am truly glad that we were able to bring it to life," he said in the interview with us.

Speaking about young people's current interest in Sevak's literary legacy, Sevak Ghazaryan noted that Paruyr Sevak remains a widely read author, with many still interested in his works. This is evidenced by the rapid consumption of new publications of his writings and the frequent sharing of his quotes by young people on social media.

He added that two significant works by Paruyr Sevak were published during the jubilee year: "100 Poems" and "Sevak-100". 

Among the attendees at the event were representatives of the academic community, faculty members, and students, who also watched a slideshow dedicated to Paruyr Sevak's childhood, life, and work.

Discussions and new interpretations at the conference confirmed that the thoughts, works, and ideas of Paruyr Sevak remain relevant and continue to serve as a rich source for future generations.  

The conference will continue on November 7 at M. Abeghyan Institute of Literature, NAS RA.