Krikor Shahinian (1930-2009)
Krikor Shahinian was born in Beirut. He graduated from the Djemaran of Hamazkayin, and afterwards continued his education at the Free University of Brussels, where he was specialized in education and literature and he received a bachelor of arts degree, and later, in 1956, the degree of educator. He presented a thesis studying the literary creations of Shahan Shahnour in Paris in 1979, at the Faculty of Literature at the University of Sorbonne, and later in 1994, at the State University of Yerevan. Starting in 1950 and for many years afterward he has taught at Djemaran, and also taught at the School of Frères, at the Haigazian College, and the Zarehian Seminary. From 1970-1994, he also taught French Literature at the Lebanese University. Starting in the 1990s, he lectured about Western Armenian Literature at Yerevan State University, at the State University of Nagorno Karabagh, as well as at the American University of Armenia. He also lectured on Armenian language at the Venice Summer School. In 1987, he founded the Khacher Kaloudian Pedagogical Center at Antelias, which he directed until 2007. He has contributed to many armenian dailies Aand periodicals. In 1966, he founded and directed the “Ahegan” cultural publication. He published numerous literary articles. He is the author of several monographic essays dedicated to the literature of Levon Shant, Kourken Mahari, Shahan Shahnour, and Hamasdegh, as well as “Panorama de la literature armenienne” and “Oeuvres vives de la literature armenienne,” featuring Armenian literature in French, as well as several memoirs titled “Verakagh.” He was an active member of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Association. During his tenure as director of the Regional Committee and due to his efforts, the Levon Shant Cultural Center was established. Krikor Shahinian passed away in Beirut, on February 15, 2009, following a brief illness.