Series of Events Dedicated to the 17th Francophone Summit

Naregatsi Art Institute is implementing a series of special events (October 13-20) dedicated to the 17th Francophone Summit.

On October 13th, at 4:00 pm, Naregatsi Art Institute hosted a lecture with Haroutiun Vartabed Bezdikian, a member of the Mekhitarist Congregation, director of the Samuel Mouradian College of Sevre and Cultural Center.

The topic of the lecture dedicated to Francophonie is "Napoleon Bonaparte's connection with the Mekhitarist Congregation".

Theologian, Doctor of Philosophy and Art, Haroutiun Vartabed Bezdikian, author of a number of books in Armenian and foreign languages, was born in 1937 in Beirut, in the family of Musalertsis. He received his primary education in his birthplace and received secondary and university education in the universities of Venice, Rome and Paris.

The meeting-lecture will be delivered in French.

On October 15th, at 6:30 m, Naregatsi Art Institute hosted the exhibition featuring the works of the Painting Class after Sevan Naccashian dedicated to Francophonie.

The topic of the students' works is France, with beautiful landscapes, urban scenes, symbolic structures and not just the country.

The teachers of the Painting Class after Sevan Naccashian are Hasmik Gasparyan, Armenuhi Martirosyan and Karlen Varderesyan.

Armenia's cooperation with the International Organization of Francophonie, which was founded in 1970, started in 2003 as an observer, in 2008 as an associate member and as a full member since 2012.

Francophonie is the international organization after the UN, which includes the largest number of countries, 84.

On October 15th, at 7:00 pm, Naregatsi Art Institute hosted a lecture with Haroutiun Vartabed Bezdikian, a member of the Mekhitarist Congregation, director of the Samuel Mouradian College of Sevre and Cultural Center.

The topic of the lecture dedicated to Francophonie is "The connection of French Armenologists with the Mekhitarist Congregation from 1700".
Theologian, Doctor of Philosophy and Art, Haroutiun Vartabed Bezdikian, author of a number of books in Armenian and foreign languages, was born in 1937 in Beirut, in the family of Musalertsis. He received his primary education in his birthplace and received secondary and university education in the universities of Venice, Rome and Paris.

The meeting-lecture will be delivered in French.

On October 16th, at 7:00 pm, Naregatsi Art Institute within the 17th Francophone Summit hold in Yerevan hosted singer, songwriter, translator Berge Turabian.

During the concert entitled "French Song Evening" Berge Turabian performed songs by Charles Aznavour, Barbara, Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel and Leo Ferre in Armenian version translated by him.

Berge Turabian graduated from the Yerevan State University, Department of Philology, where he later taught French language and literature.

He moved to the United States in 1986.

He received a master's degree in Library Studies at Columbia University in New York. Currently he works in the Public Library of New York.

Berge Turabian also writes songs based on the poems of Armenian writers, and also sings songs by various French chansons: Brel, Brassens, Aznavour and others.

On October 17, at 7:00 pm Naregatsi Art Institute hosted the screening of some French documentary films within the Sosé International Film Festival: “Cargo” directed by Karim Rahbani, ''With my own two hands'' by Michaël Barocas, ''The Deep Ones'' by Chevalier Guillaume.

• “Cargo'' by Karim Rahbani | short film | France (Arabic) | (20 min.) Lost in the middle of the Bekaa valley after fleeing the Syrian war, little Abed and his sick grandfather find their way into the city of Beirut, only to face a ruthless fate.

• ''With My Own Two Hands'' by Michaël Barocas | short film| France (4 min.) The life of a man through his hands and the ones around him...

• '' The Deep Ones'' by Chevalier Guillaume | short film| France (French) | (23 min.) Manue works in a motel near an industrial area. One morning, in the middle of the breakfast, she decides to leave everything. Michael, a traveling worker, accepts to drive her to the « Petit-Fort » beach, where she wants to go. Little does he know that this journey will change his life forever.

On October 19th, at 7:00 pm, Naregatsi art Institute hosted a concert featuring Lily Sevoyan (viola) within the frames of Francophone Days.
The event will feature the works by S.Rakhmaninov, L.Sevoyan, F. Schubert and E. Mihranyan, Lily Sevoyan, a laureate of international competitions, studied at Sayat-Nova Music School and then moved to Yerevan Tchaikovsky Music School.

She is currently studying in Albert Brutyan's class at the Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas. She has performed in France, Switzerland, Malta, Georgia.

On October 20th, at 4:00 pm, Naregatsi Art Institute hosted a concert – lecture on "Armenian-French historical and cultural ties" within the frames of Francophone Days.

During the lecture, Daniel Yerazhisht will touch on the centuries-old Armenian-French economic, diplomatic, cultural ties.

The concert will feature "Sharakan" Ensemble (artistic director Daniel Yerazhisht), soloists Gohar Danielyan (violin), Grigor Harutyunyan (clarinet), Ruzan Hovsepyan (piano).

During the concert were performed works by Komitas, J. Bizarre, J. Buamortie, F. Lavinye, songs by A.Honeger on the lyrics by A. Chopanian P. Verlen, J. Cocto and others and V. Makhokhyan's play "Armenia’s Groaning" for violin and piano.

Most of the works were performed in Armenia for the first time.