On September 9, 2015, the presentation of the book “Memories from the Past” by greatly lamented, Levon Dilbaryan, took place in the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of the “Hayartun” Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The event was conducted on the initiative of the “Armenian Center for Scientific Research in Georgia” NGO and the “Hayartun” Center and was dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The daughter, grandchildren and other relatives of the author were in attendance of the event.

In her opening speech, Emma Akhtyan, the Head of the “Armenian Center for Scientific Research in Georgia” NGO thanked the “Hayartun” Center for organizing the editing, translation and publication of the book. A man who survived the Armenian Genocide was well aware of the importance of preserving and transferring the memories. While working as an accountant, the author used to write down his memories with a crayon describing his home, Erzurum and nearby villages and Armenian heroes. The author understood well that the publication of such book was impossible during the Soviet period. He kept the records safe and before his death gave them to his daughter, former teacher Izabela Dilbaryan and willed to publish them. Unfortunately, his daughter couldn’t fulfill the will of her father, but later with the help of his great-grandson Levon Rshtuni the book became available.

The granddaughter of Levon Dilbaryan, Rimma Rshtuni told the audience about the difficulties during the publication of the book. She noted that her mother was very sad realizing that the fulfillment of her father’s will was in danger; she brought a forget-me-not flower from Levon Dilbaryan’s grave and put it in his records. Later the flower dried up and looked exactly like the flower-symbol of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Mrs. Rshtuni thanked the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and its Primate, the “Armenian Center for Scientific Research in Georgia” NGO, its Head Emma Akhtyan, NGO member Gisane Hovsepyan, editor Anna Saribekyan and translator Veronica Harutyunyan.

In his speech Enok Tadevosyan noted the importance of the book in terms of telling the stories of the survivors, describing the city of Erzurum and nearby villages. He praised the work undertaken by the Dilbaryan and Rshtuni families.

Then Mikael Tadevosov, Inna Dilbaryan, Ivane Tarkhanov and others also delivered speeches.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan blessed the audience and highlighted the importance of the book as the story of an eyewitness to the Genocide, he noted the simple narrative style and the way the author described the cities, villages and the way of life in the Western Armenia and friendly relationships between Armenians, Turks and Kurds. The Primate suggested organizing a presentation of this book in the city of Akhaltsikhe, where a large number of the descendants of the genocide survivors from Karin region and Erzurum now reside.

At the end of the presentation the Armenian and Russian copies of the book “Memories from the Past” were distributed among the audience.