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The 2nd Conference of Centers for Armenian Studies in Foreign Universities has opened at Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poznań, Poland.
The event is organized with the support of the Embassy of Armenia to Poland and the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport.
The opening was attended by Armenian Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport Artur Martirosyan; Ambassador of Armenia to Poland Alexander Arzoumanian; AMU Vice-Rector Professor Przemysław Wojtaszek; Director of the AMU Mkhitar Gosh Center for Armenian Studies Professor Adam Pomieciński; and other officials and guests.
Welcoming the participants and congratulating them on the opening of the conference, Deputy Minister Martirosyan noted that science, culture, and education have always been and remain the pillars upon which the future of the Armenian people is built. In this context, he stressed that Armenian Studies centers operating in foreign countries are of paramount importance, as their main mission is to ensure the sustainable development of Armenian Studies in all directions, in step with the achievements and challenges of global science.
Martirosyan emphasized that, recognizing the importance of developing Armenian Studies, the Republic of Armenia implements a program—funded by the state budget—to teach the Armenian language and Armenian Studies subjects in foreign countries. He noted that the Ministry currently cooperates with 15 universities and research institutions in 13 countries, and that this number continues to grow.
“The presence of Armenia’s rich cultural and literary heritage in foreign countries is a significant resource for conducting Armenian Studies research and serves as a foundation for the establishment and development of Armenian Studies centers, particularly in terms of expanding the scope of research,” Martirosyan said.
According to him, Armenia’s State Program for the Development of Education through 2030 envisages increasing the number of Armenian Studies centers to 23, conducting 12 research projects annually, and organizing eight international Armenian Studies conferences as well as various educational and cultural events.
“This conference can become a platform where Armenian Studies centers present their achievements and experience, raise the challenges facing the development and dissemination of Armenian Studies, discuss solutions, and form new cooperation programs and ideas. Within the framework of this exceptional event dedicated to the development of Armenian Studies, we are summarizing the path we have taken while outlining new visions for the future. In this regard, the establishment of a network-based Armenian Studies university is particularly noteworthy, as it would make it possible to unite the capacities already developed within Armenian Studies centers and define concrete steps aimed at strengthening them,” Martirosyan stressed.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of the fact that this conference of Armenian Studies centers operating at foreign universities is being held for the second time. He noted that a five-year science development strategy has been drafted, with special emphasis placed on the advancement of Armenian Studies.
According to Martirosyan, the main areas of the network-based Armenian Studies university include the creation of mechanisms to promote academic mobility for students and faculty, the introduction of innovative educational technologies, and the formation of a unified educational space in Armenian Studies for the development and implementation of joint academic programs. A key objective is also to create new opportunities and formats for dialogue and cooperation between academic institutions in Armenia and abroad, and to consolidate the potential of educational institutions in the field of Armenian Studies.
“Armenian Studies, as a sustainable unity of science and culture, is based on the preservation, development, and promotion of Armenian national identity. In this regard, the role of Armenian Studies centers operating at foreign universities is difficult to overestimate: they not only disseminate Armenian culture and history in different countries, but also serve as bridges for intercultural dialogue. I am confident that through joint efforts we will be able to preserve the traditions of Armenian Studies while also breathing new life into them in the context of scientific innovation, digital technologies, and global scientific developments,” the Deputy Minister said.
Martirosyan added that the conference is a unique opportunity to bring together representatives of Armenian Studies centers from around the world, study and value their experience, and discuss new directions for the development of the field.
Participants were also welcomed by the Ambassador Arzoumanian. He emphasized the importance of the activities of the Mkhitar Gosh Center for Armenian Studies, which opened last month, expressing confidence that it will become one of the key centers at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and serve as an important link in educational and cultural cooperation between Armenia and Poland.
The conference program includes panel discussions and presentations on a range of topics, including strategic directions for the development of Armenian Studies, partnerships in the field, and the formation of an academic network, among others.