Anahid Literary Awards Celebration at Columbia University

By Taleen Babayan

Five authors will be honored at the Anahid Literary Awards celebration on Friday evening, April 4, 2014 at Columbia University.

Hosted by the Armenian Center at Columbia University, recipients Arthur Nercessian, (Chinese Take-Out); Patricia Saraffian Ward, (The Bullet Collection), Michael Zadoorian, (Second Hand), Aris Janigian, (Blood-Vine), and Lydia Peele (Reasons For and Advantages of Breathing) will be honored for their significant contributions to Armenian culture and American literature.

“The Anahid Award has been an occasion for the Armenian community to be self-aware, to take note of the works of literature that are being written now, to celebrate those works, and to affirm the horizons they open up for each writer and for the broader Armenian community and culture,” said Dr. Peter Balakian, who will serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies.

The Anahid Award was founded in 1988 by an anonymous donor who wanted to honor emerging Armenian-American writers. The prize is given by the Armenian Center at Columbia University and comes with an award of $5,000. Since its founding, there have been more than a dozen winners in poetry, fiction, playwriting, and screenwriting, including Leslie Ayvasian, Peter Balakian, Eric Bogosian, Diana Der Hovanessian, Atom Egoyan, and Nancy Kricorian.

The celebration will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Faculty House, Presidential Rooms 2 and 3, located at 64 Morningside Drive (at 116th Street) on Columbia University’s campus. A reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres will follow the program. This event is free and open to the public.

Photo: Aris Janigian, Lydia Peele and Michael Zadoorian