Ways to overcome crises, based on example of prominent Armenian figures: Shtigen Group publishes exclusive collection "Towards the Source of Light"

In recent years, the hardships faced by the Armenian people have posed the Shtigen Group with the age-old question: how to overcome a seemingly deadlocked situation. The search for a solution “has taken to prominent Armenian figures”.

Remaining faithful to the principle of corporate national responsibility and the belief that every initiative should be rooted in enlightenment, Shtigen Group has undertaken the creation of the collection “Toward the Source of Light”.

The 124-page book was meticulously compiled over several months, with careful selection of authors, their works, letters, and excerpts from interviews. The collection highlights the challenges of different periods and the paths taken to overcome them.

According to Hayk Shekyan, the founding director of Shtigen Group, the company values national thinking and strives to integrate it into business activities.

“This approach often causes uncertainty, but through our work, we demonstrate that having a national mindset can help create value in one’s surroundings, environment, and partnerships. It is part of our daily life and work, that’s why the idea of publishing this book naturally emerged,” he explained.

Shekyan emphasizes that the periods discussed by prominent Armenian figures, starting with Movses Khorenatsi, are different and cannot be applied as mirror-like solutions to today’s challenges.

 “While turning the pages of the book, I did not find direct answers, but rather discovered new thoughts. The collection is not a reference book where one finds solutions under letter ‘A’ or ‘B.’ Instead, it offers a dialogue with the greats, helping readers imagine new scenarios, see fresh opportunities, and understand obstacles to solving seemingly permanent crises,” said Shekyan.

Shtigen Group values the ideological foundation behind every corporate gift for its partners. It was the search for this ideological essence that led to the idea of publishing the book.

“The idea began with discussions about New Year’s corporate gifts. We wanted to create something lasting, not one-time-use gifts that would inspire thought and leave a lasting impression. These reflections led us to the concept of the book. We decided to compile a collection of thoughts from Armenian writers and notable figures, not only unafraid to touch on our wounds but also ready to show paths out of crises,” said Arpi Harutyunyan, the head of public relations at Shtigen Group. She added that, in line with the book’s spirit and the company’s values, they hope to see 2025 become a year of enlightenment.

Harutyunyan values ​​the words and works of all the great names included in the book, but according to him, Raffi’s letter, written in 1877, called “Letter from Agulis,” is unique.

“In that letter, the writer emphasizes the role of mothers and wives in society, noting that women who remain in darkness cannot give birth to light. Therefore, we need educated women and mothers who will be able to raise a conscious generation,” he noted.

The book “Toward the Source of Light” was compiled by literary critic and editor-in-chief of Antares publishing house, Arkmenik Nikoghosyan. In the book’s preface, he answers questions about the principles on which he compiled the collection and why he chose these authors and texts. However, in a conversation with Armenpress, he ha also provided some clarifications.

Almost no poetry is included in the book, but their real daily concerns are presented, whether they talked about them in letters, publicistic articles, or diaries. According to Nikoghosyan, at different times, different prominent figures have been proclaimed through poetry and literature as those who offer solutions,as concerned people, but when one looks into the space of their inner biography, it turns out that they were indifferent. There are also opposite examples.

“The book is considered present-day, as many of the solutions to overcome crises are also related to the challenges of our time. However, I would not want to consider the issue from this perspective only, because the book provides ways to overcome problems that were essential for their time. Today, there are issues that may not seem so urgent for us,for example, the issue of preserving the Armenian language, because it is the state language and we have a state. Yet, in the absence of a state, Raphael Patkanyan raised the issue of the need to have libraries. That was one of the important steps aimed at protecting the people from assimilation with other nations and preserving the language.”

“Through this collection, we want to show that there have been even more difficult times for our people. Today, there is a certain anchor, it is our state. Imagine, there were similar times when we had no anchor, and under those conditions, unity, ideology, and manifestations of intellectual power were serious challenges, which all writers addressed,” the literary critic emphasized.

A very extensive study has been carried out. The book begins with Khorenatsi's text and ends with a poem by the contemporary writer Nerses Atabekyan. The other authors were chosen, starting from Khachatur Abovyan to Hrant Matevosyan. They referred to Raffi, Stepanos Nazaryants, Mikayel Nalbandyan, and Hovhannes Tumanyan, and included many authors who may not be well-known: Hakob Oshakan, Nikoghos Sarafyan, Avetis Aharonyan, and Vazgen Shushanyan.

“The choice of authors has been determined not by our whims but by the role these writers played. They were authorities for our people; their words were heard and carried influence. For example, Shahan Shahnur or Ruben Zardaryan in the Western Armenian reality. They raised issues related to the Armenian people in their non-fiction texts, and not by chance. This was an important part of their ideology and activities,” said Nikoghosyan, adding that the writers considered the lack of education one of the reasons for the Armenian people’s tragedies and emphasized the need to engage in the cause of education as early as possible.

Nikoghosyan noted that he is particularly attracted to the critical passages in the book, as they guide the reader to look inside themselves, understand who they are, recognize their shortcomings, and work on eliminating them. He drew a parallel between Shahan Shahnur and Raffi, noting that they convey their message to the reader directly, which can serve as an impetus to sober up and overcome challenges. Shahan Shahnur did this very directly, without mild words, while Raffi, mastering the art of conveying a message, did it more delicately.

Nikoghosyan assured that even a connoisseur of Armenian literature can rediscover prominent Armenian figures when reading the book “Towards the Source of Light”.

“The collection is titled ‘Towards the Source of Light’, inspired by the famous words of Daniel Varuzhan. It is directly and figuratively connected with the activities of the Shtigen Group. Directly,because the Shtigen Group operates in the field of renewable energy, where energy and light are interconnected. Indirectly,because the path to salvation, the best way out of a crisis, is through enlightenment.”

The names of the authors featured on the book cover range from Khorenatsi to modern Armenian writers.

The book is now available in bookstores, with proceeds going to the Shtigen Group's corporate social responsibility programs.