Classical Japanese Literature interpreted by poet Peter MacMillan

The purpose of the lecture was to present Japanese classical literature and culture, to point out the universal values reflected in the literature and the relations with the world literature.

Poet Peter McMillan spoke about "Manyoshu" - Japan's oldest collection of poems- during his lecture. It has a story of 1200 years. The speaker presented the Japanese world, mindset, national character and value system through poems. He told that in Japan there are many monuments and stones on which various poems are engraved. The poet considers translating and presenting them as a mission in order to make the country a tourist destination.

Peter McMillan mentioned that he visited Armenia for the first time, but he has known about the country for a long time and has been familiar with Armenian literature.

"It’s a great honour for me to visit Armenia and give a lecture at YSU. Now I am very happy, since until now I was trying to tell the world about Japanese culture through television and newspapers, but here I have the opportunity to communicate freely and friendly with students," he said, emphasizing the importance of the initiative.

Mori Hiroyuki, permanent representative of the Georgian office of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), referring to the organization of similar events, noted that the agency implements many different projects both in Armenia and in other countries.

"This is a new experience to invite professors and people from the educational field to Armenia, to present the culture and art of Japan," Hiroyuki said, noting that they plan to invite representatives of various fields to Armenia within the framework of cooperation with YSU.

It should be noted that Peter McMillan worked at Tokyo and Kyorin universities in different periods. He won the best awards in the field of translation in Japan and USA. He is the author of a number of translated collections of Japanese literature, books, poetry collections and publications. Peter McMillan holds a Master of Philosophy and a PhD in English Literature.

Students from YSU and RA universities and people interested in Japanese literature attended the lecture organized by the initiative of YSU International Cooperation Department.