"IT IS NECESSARY TO CREATE NEW IMAGES IN LITERATURE IN
ORDER TO PRESERVE NATIONAL IDENTITY," AMERICAN ARMENIAN WRITER
OSHIN KESHISHIAN SAYS
ORDER TO PRESERVE NATIONAL IDENTITY," AMERICAN ARMENIAN WRITER
OSHIN KESHISHIAN SAYS
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"IT IS NECESSARY TO CREATE NEW IMAGES IN LITERATURE IN
ORDER TO PRESERVE NATIONAL IDENTITY," AMERICAN ARMENIAN WRITER
OSHIN KESHISHIAN SAYS
11-10-2007 14:54:00 | Armenia | Culture
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Nowedays, when
tendencies for globalization and global developments of culture
prevail over the spheres of politics, press, and culture, the
role of the national identity obtains a peculiar significance."
This statement was made by Levon Ananian, the Chairman of the
Writers Union of Armenia, at the conference held under the title
"National identity issue in Diaspora", which was held in the RA
National Academy of Sciences on October 11 within the frameworks
of the second conference of Armenian writers in foreign
languages.
In the words of Levon Ananian, the recent researches show
that under the circumstances of a colossal leakage of
information first of all small nations and peoples, the
foundation-stones of the national identity, that is, the
language and culture, suffer damages, which, according to him,
finally leads to the abolition of the national identity.
In the words of the Chairman of the Writers' Union of
Armenia, fortunately, Armenia keeps away from such dangers.
However, according to him, there is a problem of preserving the
national identity in the Diaspora. "We should think what we
should do so as our compatriots of the Diaspora are not gulped
down by globalization," Levon Ananian stressed.
American Armenian writer Oshin Keshishian mentioned in his
report that it is necessary to bring new images into literature
in order to preserve the national identity. "An Armenian is
always presented as a victim of the genocide in the American
literature. It is our task to create the image of a new
Armenian, so as foreign readers read about our achievements, and
not only about genocide and lamentation," the American Armenian
writer mentioned.
In the opinion of translator Alexander Topchian, the fact
that certain Armenian writers consciously present works merely
on the subject of the genocide to generations is a very
deplorable one, the same can be said for the cinema and the
theater. Thus, in his words, "we make it archaistic in our
national cultural consciousness."