Associazione di Amicizia Italo-Armena "ZATIK"

Implementation of the “Garden of Pomegranates” in the City of Casamassima - Province of Bari for Commemnoration of Hrand Nazariant'sri

I l link per scaricare il progetto di 47 pagine di 2.50 mb a colori m relazionata in 4 Lingue Italiano, Inglese, Farsi e Armeno , poesie e descrizioni http://www.zatik.com/vartanian/Il%20Giardino%20dei%20Melograni.pdf
due Links della èpag 4 e 9 della intervista di Vahe . il 11 Set 2013.
http://www.alikonline.ir/images/stories/2013/september/11/4.pdf
http://www.alikonline.ir/images/stories/2013/september/11/9.pdf
Subject:
Implementation of the “Garden of Pomegranates” in the City of Casamassima ( Province of Bari, in the Puglia Region in the Southern Zone of Italy) proposed by Arch. Vahed Massihi Vartanian, member of ZATIK - Association of Italian-Armenian Friendship

Premise:
In 25 January, 2012 The Mayor of Casamassima (Bari) Dr. Domenico Binardi and the Cultural Councilor Dr. Francesco Laricchia invited Armenian associations in Italy to participate in the City Council’s initiative to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Armenian Poet Hrand Nazariantz (1). In the ceremony were present the local councilors-representing Italian Parties, the citizens of Casamassima, the presidents of Armenian Associations in Italy, the President of the Union of Armenians in Italy, Prof. Baykar Sivazliyan and the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia Dr. Peter Kuciukian .
At that ceremony, the Consul of the Republic of Armenia presented the Armenian flag to the mayor of City as an expression of gratitude to the City of Casamassima for celebrating its honorary citizen, the Poet's Hrand Nazariantz.
After the unveiling of the commemorative plaque placed in the Town Hall Square and performance of the Carabinieri band (Italian police force), the guests and dignitaries present at the event visited the Poet's house , just few steps from City Square; a meter below street level followed by four steps down… where Hrand Nazariantz spent his days writing poetry under olive oil lamp!

For this occasion the Italian Post office released a commemorative post card & stamp, as well as a special cancel made available for the day.

On the same day , City Council of Casamassima during its official meeting passed a resolution for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Empire (present day Turkey). And, Arch V.M. Vartanian, as a member of Zatik Association, presented to the City Council a proposal to establish in City of Cassamassima a monument called “Garden of Pomegranates" representing the friendship between the city of Casamassima and the Armenian nation.
The monument will be referencing to Pomegranates, as one of the oldest symbols of the Armenia and will incorporate other motives such as fig trees, vines, olive trees which are heavenly symbols represented in all sacred books. The alternative to use these symbols rather than Khatchkar ( the Armenian carved Cross stone) was a deliberate choice to avoid using the standard and repetitive motive used for such monuments .

Technical section:
The central sculpture of the “Garden of Pomegranates” is made of reinforced concrete of earth tones quartz sand with multilateral shapes representing two summits of mount Ararat, Sis and its big brother Massis The two mountains have semicircles grooves on the side , concentric semi open umbrella-shaped with the width ranging from 4 to 10 cm in diameter illuminated at the bottom with 12 yellow led lights facing up representing the panels in the Fortress of Swallows in Armenia (2) and its central eternal fire similar to Zoroastrian temples.

The thickness of the floor of the “ Garden” is made of 12 cm thick reinforced concrete ,same color of sculpture surface , and covered with white river or sea pebbles of 6 to 12 cm. diameters.
The white stones covering the floor evoke the age-old snow of the mountains and The garden perimeter and other finishes are made with 12X12 cm black cobblestones

Note :
a) There will be a remembrance plaque to the genocide of 24 April 1915 , A tragedy not to repeat again
b) A Pomegranates form framed by colorful mosaics 15 to 25 cm
c) Multiple plates with pomegranate motives in different sizes and shapes are scattered on the floor of the garden that could be used to engrave the name of sponsors who have contributed to the development of the monument
d) The main plate at the bottom of the monument will features engraving on bronze or porcelain stoneware with additional spaces for recordings.

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(1) Per Prof. Khachaturian, Nazariantz family origin is from Armenians of Iran who were scholars and Orientalist, some of whom went to teach in Lazarian College in Moscow. His father, Diran became a member of the Turkish parliament and his paternal grandparents Toros, Stephanos and Isaya Nazarian were also known Armenian writers and musicians.
In 1953 a large number of Italian and foreign intellectuals proposed Hrand Nazariantaz’s candidacy to the Committee for the award of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
(2) Swallow's fortress (Tsitsernakaberd) located on a hill overlooking Yerevan, Armenia is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Empire.

rch. Vahe M. vartanian
August 16_ 2013 :Tehran – Iran
vartanian2009@gmail.com / zatik@zatik.com
+393477539508 +989378890967(ITALY)

Participating in the promotion of the proposal:
Graziella Falconi, president of Association of Italian - Armenian friendship - ZATIK
www.zatik.com / zatik@zatik.com
Loretta Caponi, president of association of foreign communities in Italy - FORUM
http://www.forumcomunitastraniere.it / forumcom@hotmail.com

Designers:
Arch. Vahed Massihi Vartanian
Arch. Mehrnaz Vusughi
Arch. Alireza Farsayi
Arch. Khashayar Azizi

Research contributors :
Varand Sukias Curkcian. Armenian Poet and Journalist from Iran
http://varand.blogspot.com/
Claudia Scelzo – Forum Association
Enrica Baldi, responsabile artistica e scientifica di "tenera mente - onlus"

Buy a fruit and contribut to the realization to the “ Pomegranade Garden “

Annette Melikian