At the conclusion of a two-day conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Armenian Independence late last month, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia bestowed the Catholicosate’s highest honor—the “Cilician Prince” medal—upon Prof. Richard Hovannisian and Yervant Pamboukian for their contribution as historians.
In his remarks, Aram I said that historians deserve recognition and respect for their work, adding that the two men worked very closely with the last prime minister of the first Republic of Armenia, Simon Vratsian, from who they learned a great deal and “have become apostles of a free and independent Armenia.”
The two-day conference, which was held at the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, brought together academicians, historians and political figures who presented informative and though-provoking theses during 10 panels that addressed the significance of Armenian Independence and its impact on modern-day Armenian realities.