Participants of the Diasporan Armenian and Foreign Writers Conference Visited the Mother See
10.10.2017
On October 10, in the Karekin I Educational Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; received participants of the Diasporan Armenian andForeign Writers Conference. They were accompanied by Mr. Edvard Militonyan, President of the Writers' Union of Armenia.
Mr. Militonyan presented to His Holiness the conference participants and the scope of the items discussed at the conference. He also mentioned the cooperation between the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Union, a part of which is the annual Kantegh Award Ceremony that will be held at the end of the conference, in the Oshakan Church.
The Armenian Pontiff conveyed his appreciation to the Diaspora Armenian writers in attendance, expressing joy on the occasion of the regularly convened Armenian Writers' Conference held in the Homeland. His Holiness noted such events are useful, and make the Armenian writer’s mission more productive in the national life. His Holiness Karekin II stressed the importance of promoting the distribution of Diaspora -Armenian literature in Armenia, so that the society in the Homeland becomes a communicator of the valuable literary heritage created by Armenian and foreign writers.
The Catholicos of All Armenians expressed concern over the decline in national- moral values in society and highlighted the mission of Armenian writers and intellectuals in rectifying the situation. His Holiness stressed that the works of Armenian writers should contribute to the formation of a patriotic spirit, national consciousness and character development in the youth. The Armenian Pontiff noted cooperation with the Armenian Church and the clergy is beneficial.
Conveying his Pontifical blessings to the conference participants, His Holiness expressed a willingness to support Armenian and foreign writers, as well as to offer the Mother See as a possibility for the organization of such national events in the future.
His Holiness expressed his wish that the Armenian writers, through their creative lives continue to bring their service to the Armenian people.
His Holiness also answered questions posed by the writers concerning the problems of teaching and preserving the Armenian language in the Diaspora, clergy preparedness and homeland challenges.
Attending the meeting was His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of Mother See; and Rev. Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary.
