President Armen Sarkissian participated at the session dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Department of Oriental Studies of the Yerevan State University. The President made a statement and noted that he would like to speak not only as the President of Armenia but to hold a candid conversation as an alumnus of the University.
“I would like to talk with you about the future. But of course we cannot speak of the future unless we speak of the past and present. The past of the Oriental Studies is glorious: It was not created today or yesterday. Keep in mind that the Academy of Sciences of Armenia was created 75 years ago and was founded by a specialist of Oriental Studies – the academician Hovsep Orbeli. This speaks of the origins of our Oriental Studies: they come from the international, Russian origins of Oriental Studies, and the academician Hovsep Orbeli himself is a bright example of it.
Oriental Studies, history, archeology were quite remarkable, and it is no accident that Orbeli also was the Director of Hermitage Museum, proving through his own example the importance of culture, science, history, and wide-scope scientific activities,” President Sarkissian said and added that many talented scientists are being associated with the Department, among them Hrachia Acharian, Grigor Ghapantsian, Nikolay Hovhannissian, Hakop Papazian.
“In my student years, I was fortunate enough to hear John Kirakossian, who though a party leader, at the same time was a carrier of the Armenian spirit, national spirit, patriotic love, and it showed very often in his presentations. In my student years, the Department of Oriental Studies was viewed as a living scientific center, its faculty and students had ties with many centers of the Soviet Union. The faculty and students of the Department, who were Armenians from Iran, or from Syria, or another Arab country, were also natives to the culture of those countries. The Department had not only had high academic qualities but also a spirit. The graduates of this Department were patriots and good citizens,” the President of Armenia recalled.
He cited the words of the Coordinator of the Armenia Exhibition opened at the Metropolitan Museum in New York that in the Middle Ages, the overseers, masters of the Silk Road were Armenians. “This is an example of applied Oriental Studies and testifies to the fact that in the Middle Ages, we, Armenians were specialists of the Orient because in my understanding Oriental Studies is not just an academic science but is much broader,” the President of Armenia underscored.
Speaking of the future of the Department, Armen Sarkissian noted that today, in the independent Armenia, when the country has only one course to move forward in a natural way, i.e. an open system of interaction with the world, Oriental Studies are becoming a much deeper notion. “I believe the traditional areas we have, such are Arab Studies, Turkish Studies, Iranian Studies should be expanded with the Indian Studies, Sinology and, of course, a deeper study of the Central Asia, the Eurasian realm are becoming necessary. This is important for the Republic of Armenia, for the science; these are natural ties, and if we follow the Silk Road idea, all this is Oriental Studies indeed. And the centers, which can do all this work, are certainly the Department of Oriental Studies and the Institute.
Thus, for me personally, Oriental Studies is also a crossroad. Today’s Studies are not limited to academic, scientific research. Oriental Studies is a much deeper notion; it is also about Armenian Studies. If we want to study our historical identity, the scope of the studies is very broad. The time has come for us to have our nation’s genetic map. And because the genetic history is linked also to the East, Oriental Studies have a say here. So, I believe the area of studies should broaden and deepen,” the President of Armenia said.
He informed that during his visits abroad, he had opportunities to converse with the representatives of scientific and research institutions, discuss possibilities of carrying out joint programs because Armenia has a great potential for becoming a regional center for science and research, for establishing its own think-tanks. In particular, at the meeting in the East-West Institute in New York, the wish was expressed to hold the next large conference in Armenia. “Yesterday I received a letter from Crans Montana, same interest is here. Deeping our relation with Central Asia, Arab world and Iran, with India and China we will be able to link our scientific, research potential to the reality, realpolitik, diplomacy, and economy,” the President of Armenia underscored.
The President assessed the 50 years of the Department as glorious: “Glorious 50 years, excellent results and, I believe, a bright future. I hope that the Department of Oriental Studies will become a foundation for a number of strong structures which will fulfil the important and meaningful national demand which we have now. Armenia is once again the center of the Silk Road, Armenia is a crossroad of different civilizations and as that center must fulfil its role in which Oriental Studies constitute a great part,” the President said.
At the conclusion of his speech, he congratulated all Orientalists and noted that they have a prominent role in making Armenia once again a crossroad of cultures and civilizations, of the Silk Road and also a center of virtual silk roads.
President Sarkissian visited also the Department of Physics of the YSU. He is a graduate and former professor of this Department. He conversed with the former colleagues in a cordial and frank atmosphere, spoke about the ongoing activities and programs.