Book Donation: 500 Books Donated to Kapan Club and Library Association with Support from Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine

A cultural morning was held at the Davit Bek Library in Kapan to mark the donation. Artak Aleksanyan, Head of Newmag Publishing House, shared the background of the library support program, made possible through the partnership between the publishing house and ZCMC:

“Kapan is the 11th community to benefit from our book donation initiative. Why did we start this program? When we looked at the educational qualifications and Armenian language proficiency levels, we were alarmed. Every second student completing 9th grade has minimal knowledge of Armenian, and one in three high school graduates is functionally illiterate. This is an educational disaster—not in the distant future, but right now.

One way to address this is by empowering communities. We didn’t wait for state funding; we partnered with commercial companies. For each community, we select a partner to help provide libraries with modern Armenian-language literature. This is ZCMC’s second contribution, after their previous support to the Kajaran Library.”

Artak Aleksanyan also explained Newmag’s publishing principles and book selection process:

“Since 2018, our goal has been to publish books we would personally read and recommend. Armenia is facing a challenging period, and it’s time for all of us to engage seriously. Our books inspire readers, help overcome post-traumatic stress, and provide insight into regional issues.

For example, The Armenian Price of Peace explores political debates a century ago about Western Armenia. Operation Zod recounts how Azerbaijan entered Zod 100 years ago and the decisions taken to protect the homeland. These are not just books to read—they are books that help today’s citizens understand history and its lessons.”

Gnel Nalbandyan, Editor-in-Chief of Newmag Publishing House, presented the curated selection for Kapan libraries:

“We have brought multi-genre literature for all ages and interests, including quality children’s books, parenting guides, social science titles from the Minasyan-Hasratyan series, political analysis, historical works on the Armenian Genocide—including key texts by Taner Akçam and Vahagn Dadrian—and other essential reading for young and adult audiences alike.”

Gayane Tadevosyan, ZCMC Social Programs Coordinator, highlighted the significance of the partnership:

“ZCMC supports education and culture in many ways. We hope these books will broaden readers’ horizons, foster analytical thinking, and contribute to the educational and social development of the community.”

Marat Harutyunyan, Deputy Mayor of Kapan, congratulated residents on the city’s day and the donation:

“Reading may not be considered fashionable by some, but that mindset is a problem. We are grateful to partners like Newmag and ZCMC for providing beautiful, high-quality, and engaging literature. I look forward to reading these books myself.”

This donation marks the second collaboration between Newmag and ZCMC. On February 19, 2024, during the book festival at the Kajaran Palace of Culture, ZCMC helped replenish the Kajaran library with 500 new books from Newmag.