Book Dedication for “Haleb, Arachin Gayaran”; Newly Published “Uncoil a Night” To Benefit Syrian Armenians
GLENDALE—Recently, helping Syrian Armenians involved two authors: Zaven Khanjian wrote about life as it was in Aleppo; Silva Zanoyan Merjanian decided to donate the proceeds of her poetry book to Syrian Armenians.
Since August 2012, Khanjian has led the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund (SARF), a coalition of Armenian church denominations, political parties and charity organizations, to raise relief funds for those who are facing the crisis in Syria. Last week, SARF forwarded $100,000 to help the Syrian Armenians. Previously, $350,000 had been transferred to the Catholicosate of Cilicia account set up for the Syrian Armenians. These funds were donated by hundreds of individuals and supporting organizations, including concerts held in Pasadena and San Francisco last November 2012.
“Haleb, Arachin Gayaran” (Aleppo, the First Stop) by Zaven Khanjian will be dedicated by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tekeyan Cultural Association on Sunday, March 3, 2013, at 6 pm, at the Armenian Society of Los Angeles (Iranahay Center), 117 S. Louise St., Glendale, CA 91205.
Khanjian’s book is about the Armenian customs, culture and traditions in Aleppo. He wrote about the good times growing up and enjoying his childhood in Aleppo, sharing vibrant, happy and amazing stories of family, neighbors, church, teachers, and classmates. His recollections of places that he visited and people that he met include markets and eateries that he frequented, bookstores that he visited, libraries that illuminated his mind, and leaders that he encountered.
Contrary to what Antranig Zaroukian wrote in his book “Men Without Childhood”, Khanjian’s book is about a boy who did have a childhood. While Zaroukian wrote about the survival of young Armenian orphans, a generation who grew up in foreign orphanages instead of loving homes in their homeland, Khanjian wrote about the generation that followed them.
This is Khanjian’s third book. In 2007 he wrote about his impressions and reflections about a pilgrimage to historic Armenia, “Ays Dune Kuget e Te Ims?” and in 2010, a collection of his poems were published under the title “Serdi Yev Medki Tsolket”.
Hrant Aghbabian will present the author; Dr. Vahram Shemmassian will present the book; and Lena Bozoyan will speak on behalf of the Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A., Regional Executive and SARF.
The public is invited to the book dedication, which will be followed by a chance to obtain autographed copies of the newly published book. The host, Los Angeles Chapter of the Tekeyan Cultural Association, funded the publication of the book.
Silva Merjanian published her first poetry book, “Uncoil a Night” on February 16, 2013, and she decided to donate the proceeds of the publication to Syrian Armenians through SARF. She wrote, “I too was once in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in another war I didn’t want any part of…”
Merjanian lives in Orange County with her husband and two sons. Dr. Shahnour Yaylayan drew the illustration on her book’s cover, and a Canadian artist and writer Pd Lietz, drew the five interior artworks.
Her book can be purchased at CreateSpace, an on-demand Amazon publishing company: https://www.createspace.com/4113245.
An excerpt from her poem “Unclenched” follows:
silent night
dare I ask more
but from time to time
uncoil my thoughts
then wrap around
rhyme with my soul
While “Uncoil a Night” is a volume to keep and share with family and friends, the proceeds will benefit families struggling through the daily hardships of living in a conflict zone.
The following churches, charities and organizations came together to form the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund: Armenian Catholic Eparchy in North America; Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; Western Diocese of the Armenian Church; Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America; Armenian General Benevolent Union; Armenian Missionary Association of America; Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A.; Armenian Democratic Liberal Party; Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Western U.S.A.; and Social Democrat Hunchakian Party-Western U.S.A. The web site address follows: www.SyrianArmenianReliefFund.org.
