Institute of Oriental Studies serves as bridge between Armenia, Arab countries and diaspora

The Institute of Oriental Studies of Armenia hosted the presentation of the book Bibliography of the Syrian Armenian Periodical Press (1912–2026) by Syrian Armenian scholar and public figure Avo (Avetis) Katerjian. The event was attended by diplomats, representatives of Armenia’s academic, educational, cultural and library sectors, as well as representatives of the diaspora.

The monograph is written in Western Armenian and was published by a decision of the Scientific Council of the Institute of Oriental Studies, with the support of the All-Armenian Foundation for the Financing of Armenological Studies. In her speech, Gohar Iskandaryan, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies and an Orientalist, said the institute supported the publication of the book, emphasizing its academic and political significance. In this regard, the Institute of Oriental Studies serves as a bridge not only between Armenia and the countries of the Middle East, but also, in many cases, in academic relations between Armenia and the diaspora.

The book’s editor, Armenian press history specialist Albert Kharatyan, and managing editor, Arabist Araks Pashayan, spoke about the book’s substantive features and bibliographic significance, while the author presented in detail the century-long history of the Syrian Armenian press in the context of historical and geopolitical transformations.

The experts noted that the work represents an important contribution not only to the study of the Syrian Armenian press, but also to the study of the Armenian press in general and the Syrian Armenian community, and could contribute to further research in this field. The book includes 228 newspapers and periodicals, 111 of which were discovered by the author, rescued from obscurity and introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time.

At the conclusion of the event, Syrian Armenian researcher Avo Katerjian received a special certificate of appreciation from the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies for his significant contribution to the field of Oriental studies.