Tuesday, January 07, 2014

2014 and the Armenian Poetry Project

We start the new year in joyous anticipation as we approach the 8th anniversary of the Armenian Poetry Project.  The fourth annual Halvajian poetry competition sponsored by the Armenian Student Association is in full swing, with February 28th, 2014 as the deadline.

To date, APP has received over 474,000 unique hits and 29,500audio downloads since its debut in May 2006. 

Readership has spread to over 100 countries where the lonely and the curious reach out to poetry TM.

Heartfelt thanks:

To you, our Readers -- you make it all possible. Your constant encouragement motivates the authors, the translators and the teachers.

To Catherine Fletcher and the editorial staff at Rattapallax for devoting a special feature on post-Genocide Armenian Poetry. 

To Peter Balakian, James Baloian, Sarkis Vahaken, Jean Assadour, Alan Whitehorn, Arpine Konyalian Grenier, Diana Der-Hovanessian, Aram Ketenjian, Panos Jeranian and William Michaelian (HG!) who sent their books and notes.

To Aram Saroyan, Gregory Djanikian, Michael Casey, Sotère Torregian, Lorne Shirinian, Raffi Setian, Lory Bedikian of Poetry Matters, Nancy Kricorian, Esther Heboyan, Keith Garebian, Nora Nadjarian, Nancy Agabian of GARTAL, Jim Erkiletian, Michael Akillian, Hagop Djelalian, Mark Gavoor, Garo Armenian and other contemporary authors for their permission to post their poems.

To Dr. Levon Avdoyan, of the Library of Congress, for his assistance in researching books,
To Prof. Theo M Van Lint for his scholarship and help in acquiring texts,
To Nvair Kadian Beylerian for the use of her grandfather Anoush Krikorian's library,
To Zachary Jean Chartkoff for his contribution of books to the ever expanding APP library,
To Artsvi Bakhchinyan and Vartan Matiossian for their scholarship and translations,
To Prof. Dora Sakayan for her translations of Paruyr Sevak and her enthusiasm,
To Prof. Valentina Calzolari for her translations published in the series Patrimoine littéraire J.-C. POLET (éd.),
To L.A.'s Zephyr Poets --Tina Demirdjian, Armine Iknadossian, Shahé Mankerian and Alene Terzian); Karen Karslyan, and Ara Shirinyan, for their support and partication in readings,
To Albert Kaprielian for his aid in getting documents on Canadian-Armenian poet Sha[u]nt Basmajian,
To Sako Arian for his contribution of books,
To Per Wik who introduced his grandfather Harout Kosdantyan and his work,
To Gagik Batikian to his love of Istanbul poets,
To Elizabeth Grigorian for her assistance at the Glendale Public Library.

To the judges of the first, second and third annual Arthur Halvajian Memorial poetry writing competition sponsored by the ASA: Garen Kazanc, Christopher Janigian; Lisa Whitten, Silva Ajamian, Dr. Rachel Goshgarian, Father Mesrop Lakissian and Alice Movsesian.

To Louise Kiffer of France and Sylvie M. Miller of Monaco for their translations of poems into French, and Tatul Sonentz for this translations into Armenian, French and English.

To the budding poets who send me emails and who participated in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd anniversary "Poetry Blasts", and APP's poetry writing competition in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

To the volunteer readers who contributed their voices to 19th - 21st century authors.

To the staff at Horizon Weekly's Literary Supplement (Montréal); the Aztag Daily's Literary and Arts Supplement (Beirut); the New York Public Library (Humanities Research); the Glendale Public Library; the Zohrab Center (New York); the Armenian Prelacy (New York); the AGBU's Bibliothèque Nubar (Paris); and, the Librairie Samuélian (Paris).

To various institutions and blogs such as the Armenian Educational Portal who have provided links to this site.

Lola Koundakjian
Curator and Producer of The Armenian Poetry Project
ArmenianPoetryProject[at]gmail[dot]com

No comments: