YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The relatives, friends and fans of intellectual and writer Levon Ananyan remember the President of the Writers Union of Armenia, of holy memory, with great love. It is already a year that Levon Ananyan is not with us, but his memory is always bright in our hearts. Last year on this very day – September 2, writer, publicist and translator Levon Ananyan passed away at the age of 67.

The President of the Writers Union of Armenia Edward Militonyan had been working with Levon Ananyan for many years. “I have known him since the university years, but we became closer as the years passed. Together we worked in “Garun” (“Autumn”) magazine and then started cooperating in the Writers Union. Levon Ananyan was the head of the art department at “Garun” magazine and wrote many nice articles, made translations. He was a very diligent person, he liked creating new things, and he was an interesting thinker,” Edward Militonyan told Armenpress.

Edward Militonyan said that a poetry park and a memorial spring named after Levon Ananyan have recently been opened in the Koghb village of Armenia’s Tavush Province. The event was initiated by “Lori Canyon” and “Noyemberyan” compatriotic unions and the Writers Union of Armenia. “We should always remember Levon Ananyan and appreciate the heritage he has left,” Edward Militonyan added.

Novelist, playwright and publicist Karine Khodikyan for the first time met Levon Ananyan in 1989. “One day I took courage and took my poems to “Garun” magazine. I dreamed of being a follower of “Garun” and never missed a publication. Editor of Garun Meruzhan Ter-Gulanyan took my works and told me to write an article. I wrote a material about Leninakan’s theater school. Levon Ananyan read that text and said very warm words”, Karine Khodikyan recalled.

In the most difficult years for the country “Garun” continued to be published predominantly thanks to Levon Ananyan. “It is nice that one of the dreams of Levon Ananyan came true – he founded “Apolon” publishing house, which has already published many translated books. Many dreamed of reading the world literature in Armenian in those years, and Levon Ananyan made their dream come true,” Karine Khodikyan noted.

“Levon had a unique character: he could inspire everyone with his ideas. He established literary ties, developed the Writers Union, backed the talented writers and treated everyone equally,” added Khodikyan.

Levon Ananyan was an Armenian journalist and translator. Born in Koghb, Tavush, Levon Ananyan was a graduate of the Yerevan State University, Department of Philology. He worked for a number of state journals. For approximately 25 years, he worked for the "Garoun" monthly.

In 1989, he became a member of the Union of Writers of Armenia, and from 1990 – 2001 he was chief editor for "Garoun".

In 2001, he was elected President of the Union of Writers of Armenia. He was re-elected as President of the Union of Writers of Armenia in 2009. He lectures at the Yerevan State University Department of Journalism. He has been the president of “Noyemberyan” non-governmental organization since 2002. He was also a member of the Journalists' Union.

He authored many articles on social and political issues, which have been printed in the state press. He also translated and published Russian and English books to the Armenian language; he founded "Apollo" Publishers.  He wrote, compiled and edited several books, hundreds of articles and prefaces.

On May 26, 2008, Levon Ananyan was granted the honorary ranking of Distinguished Cultural Figure of the Republic of Armenia.

President of the Union of Writers of Armenia Levon Ananyan passed away in Yerevan on September 2, 2013. He was 67 years old.