Newmag in 2024: A Year of Milestones and Achievements

The year kicked off with Alex Michaelides' “The Fury”, launched simultaneously with its global debut. On the same day, Armenian readers also had the chance to dive into Yuval Noah Harari’s “Nexus”.

Newmag hosted five festivals in 2024, each offering unique experiences. With Winter Fest 2024, Newmag unveiled its new festival concept, blending literature, art, and music. This event featured book presentations, author meet-and-greets, classical and contemporary music, poetry readings, and an art exhibition. Over 15,000 visitors attended, making it the most successful Winter Fest to date.

The summer festival set another milestone with its extended two-day format, offering 12 hours of activities, including five book launches, musical performances, poetry readings, an exclusive photo exhibition, four panel discussions, and a special appearance by Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

One of the year’s biggest literary highlights was Newmag becoming the Armenian representative of the prestigious French Goncourt Prize. For the first time in its history, the Goncourt Academy established a National Jury in Armenia, officially launched at Francofest, a celebration of French literature and arts.

Throughout the year, Newmag brought more than ten prominent figures to Armenia, including:

French political scientist Frédéric EncelFinnish historian Henrik MeinanderLatvian writer Janis JonevsGeorgian researcher David JishkarianiRussian-Armenian actress Sati SpivakovaArmenian-American guests Christine Grigoryan and Nune MelikyanThe Goncourt delegation: philosopher Pascal Bruckner, chief delegate Françoise Rossino, and writer-musician Ulysse Manhes. 

Two children’s festivals were also held, coinciding with the start and end of the school year. The “Yeraz” series delighted young readers with colorful children’s books and provided parents with exclusive parenting guides to foster literacy. A standout moment was the Armenian translation of the beloved Soviet childhood song, “The Winged Swings”.

This year, Newmag commemorated Charles Aznavour’s 100th anniversary with a special two-volume edition, featuring all of his prose and most of his poetry.

On the social front, Newmag expanded its reach to Armenia’s regions, donating books to libraries in Alaverdi, Vanadzor, and Dilijan as part of its ongoing educational initiatives.

In addition to literary achievements, Newmag completed its rebranding process. From now on, the opening pages of its books reflect the distinct Newmag style. The publisher also launched a revamped website, enhancing its visual identity and making it more accessible and user-friendly.

Key Numbers for 2024:

Newmag’s 2024 was a transformative year, marked by cultural innovation, global connections, and a renewed commitment to education and literature.