Turkish Theatre Play Gets Armenian Readers Thanks to Translation

Turkey and Armenia have initiated a common project. A theater play by Turkish writer Hasan Erkek has been translated into Armenian by the Armenian Publishers Union with the help of Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

“Eşik” (Cradle) is the first book that breaks the trend of translations only touching on historical problems between the neighboring countries, reports Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

The Armenian Publishers Union and the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism have collaborated on a special project. Armenian readers will now be able to read a book on art rather than ones that examine historical problems between the two countries.

The book will be promoted at a ceremony in May at the Armenian Publishers Union. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism participated through subsidizing the translation through the Opening Turkish Literature to the World, or TEDA, a project, which works to publish Turkish cultural, artistic and literary works in foreign languages.

Erkek, a member of the Anadolu University State Conservatory and chair of the Playwrights and Interpreters Association, said his book was published in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“I hope this coincidence will make a contribution to peace among these three countries. I believe that we will progress more by developing a culture of empathy through art rather than harsh political statements,” he said.

Speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, the Armenian translator of the book, Meline Anumyan, who is a member of the Hracya Acharyan University Turkish literature department and the Armenian Society Radio Turkish broadcast editor, said, “I am very pleased to translate a book on art rather than history and politics.”