Prizes to be Awarded to Those Who have ‘Done More Damage to Armenian Language, Schooling’

The initiative group “We are against the re-opening of foreign language schools” in Armenia has announced a unique “anti-prize.”

According to the “Delyanov-Ashotyan Award Committee in the Foreign Language Arena” created by the group, the prize will be awarded with “the aim of isolating [i.e. identifying] for the public and future generations those figures and organizations that have done more damage to the Armenian language, schooling and independent national statehood.”

“Regretfully, we know that such figures have been plentiful during the Armenian nation’s entire rich and eventful history,” reads a press release issued by the committee, adding that events this year have led the group to initiate this measure. “At the same time, we are hopeful that this year’s award will be the last and the awards, for objective reasons, will not last long.”

According to group members, the award will be called “Delyanov-Ashotyan Award in the Foreign Language Arena” (or simply “Foreign Language Award”), named after RA Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan and Ivan Delyanov (Dilakyan), an ethnic Armenian member of the State Council of Imperial Russia and the country’s Minister of Public Education (and National Enlightenment) from 1882–1897, who closed down numerous Armenian schools during his term.

Winners will be awarded either a gold, silver and bronze medal (pictured), a diploma and a cash award of thirty drams (about 8 US cents).