SHUSHI, Artsakh—AVAN Shushi Plaza Hotel is pleased to announce the holding of its 2nd Poetry Festival in Shushi. The event which was held in Avan Shushi Plaza hotel took place on Tuesday August 06, 2013 through Thursday August 8.
More than 90 students ranging in age from 9 to 16 took part in the 2nd annual poetry contest. Students from Tehran, Javakhk, Yerevan and every region of Artsakh took part in this year’s festival. Students were grouped into three age groups and competed for prizes in each age group.
Poetry organizing committee consisted of Alec Baghdasaryan, President of Avan Ishkhan Partnership Group, Dr. Artsron Avakyan, Dean of Language, President of the organizing committee; Dr. Gourgen Melikyan, Dean of Eastern Armenian Studies; Dr. Samvel Mouradian, Dean of Armenian Literature, Yerevan State University; as well as Armenian Poetry stars, Mrs. Lala Mnacakanyan and Mrs. Anna Hekikian who along with Mrs. Naira Martirosyan, education Ministry of Artsakh, acted as the Jury for the contest.
“We are very excited about the success of our 2nd annual Poetry Festival,” said Alec Baghdasaryan. “We believe every participating student was a winner given the opportunity to visit Shushi, form friendships and to listen to other students as well as Armenia’s poetry stars perform.” Tours were organized for participating students to visit Gandzasar, Tigranakert, Stepanakert, Shushi Ghazanchecoc churh and other touristic sites in Artsakh.
Avan Ishkhan partnership, is continuously looking for ways to return Shushi to its past glory as a cultural center for Armenians by taking on projects which will contribute to development of Shushi as a cultural center. We believe that our Poetry Festival is a fitting event to be conducted in Shushi annually. We are committed to the continued success of this project and energized with this year’s success will work with other Diaspora schools and organizations, to expand the list of countries participating in the future poetry festivals. Our goal is to expand the festival in coming years to include students from Diaspora schools as contest participants as well as guest presenters from around the world to enrich the program. Avan Ishkhan Partnership projects include development of the Avan Shushi Plaza Hotel, the Eastern Shouka (Bazzar), the Eastern Bath as well as many other historic buildings in the heart of Shushi.
