On November 5, the RA Ministry of Diaspora and the Union of Writers of Armenia held a ceremony dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Istanbul-Armenian poet Zahrat at the large hall of the Union of Writers of Armenia. The event was attended by RA Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan, President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Eduard Militonyan, composer Tigran Mansurian, as well as Diaspora Armenian writers and intellectuals. Zahrat’s wife, Anayis Ealdizjian had traveled from Istanbul to Armenia to participate in the ceremony.

Deputy Minister of Diaspora Serzh Srapionyan deleivered the welcoming speech on behalf of RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan. “I warmly and cordially congratulate all of us on the birth anniversary of the brilliant Western-Armenian poet Zahrat (Zareh Yaldizjian).

Zahrat is one of the famous poets in Armenian poetry in Istanbul of the mid-20th century. With his unique talent, language and thinking, he also enriched contemporary Armenian poetry and added something new. At the same time, Zahrat remained the righteous descendant of Western Armenian poets Siamanto, Varoujan, Metsarents and others. In his poems, Zahrat talks about the pain and dreams of people where his humanism, impersonal love, aspiration to be devoted to people, compassion and words expressing hope and faith are emphasized.

With jokes and irony, Zahrat shares his thoughts with his readers, showing the weaknesses, defects and needless habits of mankind.

The poems of the brilliant poet stand out with the logical development of episodes and the philosophical thoughts that are expressed by way of an intimate conversation with the reader.

Zahrat’s poems have a special place in contemporary Armenian poetry in terms of content and with their delicate shades.”

President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Eduard Militonyan talked about the great life and career of the poet.

Secretary of the Union of Writers of Armenia Petros Demirtchyan provided a detailed analysis of the poet’s interesting and versatile poems.

Composer Tigran Mansurian, Suren Danielyan, Yervand Ter-Khachatryan, Toros Toranian and others praised and appreciated Zahrat in their speeches.

Reciter Silva Komikyan read the poet’s poems.