Memorial plaque in honor of Avetik Isahakyan  unveiled in Venice

ArmInfo. As part of the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great  Armenian writer Avetik Isahakyan, a memorial plaque in honor of the  Master was unveiled at 2266 Dorsoduro, where the writer lived, in  southern Venice.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Education, Science,  Culture, and Sports of Armenia, the event was attended by Deputy  Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Alfred Kocharyan, Armenian  Ambassador to Italy Vladimir Karapetyan, Prefect of Venice Darko  Pellos, Deputy Mayor of Venice Simone Venturini, and representatives  of the local community.

The event was made possible through the joint efforts of the Ministry  of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Armenia and the Ministry  of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Consulate General of  Venice, as well as the Avetik Isahakyan House-Museum and the  Consulate General of Venice.

Welcoming those gathered, Deputy Minister of Education, Science,  Culture, and Sport of Armenia Alfred Kocharyan emphasized his honor  to be in Venice, a city that has been a meeting place of cultures,  ideas, and peoples for centuries. "Today we have gathered here to  honor the memory of the great Armenian poet Avetik Isahakyan and  unveil a memorial plaque in the house where he lived. Last year, we  celebrated the 150th anniversary of our greatest poet's birth with a  series of events. The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and  Sport of the Republic of Armenia held numerous commemorative events  in Armenia and abroad, paying tribute to Avetik Isahakyan's literary  and cultural legacy. Last March, we also unveiled a memorial plaque  in Leipzig, Germany, in his memory," the Armenian official said.

He emphasized that the peoples of Armenia and Italy have been united  by deep cultural and historical ties for centuries, and that Armenian  intellectuals and cultural figures, including Avetik Isahakyan, have  strengthened the friendship between the two countries with their  presence in the city.

The plaque dedicated to the master symbolizes the cultural dialogue  between the two countries. The plaque depicts the Rialto Bridge, a  symbol of one of Ava Isahakyan's best poems, "I Saw a Beautiful Girl  on the Rialto Bridge," as well as an ornament from one of the  master's favorite architectural structures, the Ereruyk Cathedral.  Visitors can watch the video "Isahakyan and Venice" using the QR code  on the plaque.  The plaque's architect is Hayk Asatryan.

In this house, where the memorial plaque is installed, the master  lived and worked with his family for six years, from 1921 to 1926.  During his years in Venice, this house hosted great Armenian cultural  figures, Martiros Saryan and Yeghishe Charents. This cultural  dialogue will continue in the master's mansion in Yerevan, which has  been converted into a museum. A bench in the shape of the Rialto  Bridge, designed and developed by French-Armenian sculptor Harut  Yekmalyan in collaboration with Yerevan Vocational School No. 4, will  be installed in its beautiful garden.