Anush Balayan’s (in the photo) first book of poems in two languages (Armenian and English) was published in Serbia. At the meeting with “Aravot”, the poetess presented her history of living and creating in Serbia over 20 years. “In 1995, I made up my mind to visit my Belgrade-resident Serb relative. She was often my guest when I used to live and create in Yerevan. Thanks to her, I had the opportunity to be acquainted and like the Serbs,” noted our interlocutor, adding that one of her goals to visit Belgrade was to be acquainted with the newly established Armenian community in Serbia.
“I took a letter with me from the Cultural Committee with Diaspora, which recommends me working in the newly opened Armenian Sunday School as a teacher of Armenian language. I introduced myself to the President of the Serbian Armenian community, artist Miodrag Vardapetian who arranged the issue of my lodging there and for some time, I was teaching Armenian to the local Armenians,” said Anush Balayan. Later, the poetess is studying Serbian at the local Institute of Foreign Languages. Miodrag Vardapetyan’s relative Milan Kosovich helps the Armenian woman to translate some of her poems, and two months later, Anush Balayan is participating in the international meeting of writers with her poems translated into Serbian. Soon, she is invited to participate in the International Poetry Festival, where she expands her contacts with the Serb writers. “I was accepted very cordially, always noting that Armenians like Serbs enjoyed the bitter fruits of the past,” remembers the poetess.
Our interlocutor informed that there are many literary unions and companies in Serbia. Then again recalls the frequent poetry evenings organized in Belgrade when she was presenting her poems in Serbian, the participants were constantly asking to read them in Armenian too. Some time later, Anush Balayan enrolls the “Serbian writers in the homeland and the diaspora” company. Referring to her “My Goddess” book, she said that together with the President of this company, Milos Andjelic, they have long ago started the task of translating her poems. Serbian-Armenian artist Anamaria Vardapetyan had suggested handling the computer brickwork and illustrations of the book. Our interlocutor also noted that a Serb Armenophile young man also covered the cost of printing the book, wishing to remain anonymous.
The presentation of the book was organized in Belgrade by the Serbian Writers’ Union. “I had chosen April 7 as the days of presentation because it was the Ascension Day, celebrated both in Armenian and Serbian churches. At my request, the Serbian-Armenian composer Vardges Baronyan’s son, cellist Vardan Baronyan, attended the presentation. The performance of the famous “Warrior Song” in Armenian by Doctor of Human Studies, Luca Yoksimovich Barbati’s interpretation was exciting. Another talented Serb singer admired the audience presenting another Armenian famous song “Ov sirun, sirun”.
Read also
To the question of whether he had not tried to deal with the art of translation, Anush Balayan replied, “I’m doing translations from Serbian into Armenian, although I have not yet published any work. I would like to have the opportunity to publishing the translations of Armenian and Serbian contemporary poetry in the literary journals, as well as to further strengthen the cultural ties between the two countries.”
Samvel DANIELYAN
