The presentation of the book “To Be or Not to Be Born…” (Être né ou ne pas l’être) by Denis Donikian, a French-speaking writer and visual artist of Armenian origin, took place at the National Library of Armenia in collaboration with Actual Art Publishing House.

In her speech, Anna Chulyan, Director of the National Library of Armenia, also referred to the meeting held during the same period last year. Denis Donikyan’s personal archive, including books, albums, and manuscripts, was transferred from France to Armenia with the support of the Armenian Embassy in France and transferred to the National Library. Following a week-long exhibition at the library, Denis Donikyan's manuscripts and several other items were moved to the Y. Charents Museum of Literature and Art.

The book's editor, Gayane Mkrtchyan, presented the process of creating the collection, noting that it was compiled through long, meticulous work while maintaining the brevity of the author's speech. According to her, the selection and structure of 939 aphorisms were intended to present Donikyan's worldview as completely as possible, in which observations about identity, human existence, and time are combined. Additionally, the editor stressed that the book is a style of thinking as well as a collection of literary works, encouraging the reader to read slowly and ponder deeply.

Speaking about the peculiarities and challenges of translating from French to Armenian, translator Lusine Musakhanyan emphasized that translating aphorisms requires not only linguistic accuracy but also the most faithful transmission of thought, subtexts, and usually multi-layered meanings. According to her, it's essential to preserve the aphorism's expressiveness and formal brevity, which requires the translator to be creatively alert and flexible. The event concluded with a beautiful and symbolic reading of passages from Denis Donikyan's writings, chosen at random by the attendees.