Yerkir—Vartkes Aharonian’s Raffi’s Life and Works sits on Tumanian’s table. Hamazkayin’s Yerevan office made a gift of the book to the Hovhannes Tumanian House-Museum in the writer’s hometown of Dsegh. Evoking the literary circle held in the attic of Tumanian’s Tiflis home, the book launch took place symbolically in the upper level of Tumanian’s house-museum. Participating in the event were state officials, schoolchildren, and various cultural figures.
The chairperson of the Hamazkayin Fund in Armenia, prose writer Spartak Karabakhtsian, speaking of the day’s meaning, said, “God gave us Tumanyan as a gift, so we can face moments of calamity, cleansing ourselves, anointing ourselves with Tumanyan, being reborn through his kindness. We are definitely going to take this opportunity to ensure the eternity of our culture. Tumanyan himself is a kindness.”