International Armenological Congress Brings Scholars to the Matenadaran in Armenia

Staff Report

The Matenadaran (Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts) organized and hosted an International Armenological Congress from July 19-22, 2024 in Yerevan, Armenia. Armenian Studies scholars from throughout the world gathered to discuss the current status of the field, to give reports on their programs, and to discuss further areas of cooperation.

The Congress opened on Friday, July 19, with a welcoming address from Mr. Ara Khzmalyan, Director of the Matenadaran, followed by a presentation by Zhanna Andreasyan, Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports of the Republic of Armenia.

“The Congress aims to strengthen connections among international Armenologists, Armenological centers, and organizations, serving as a platform to enhance mutual awareness of ongoing projects, address key issues in the field of Armenology, and foster collaboration,” said Khzmalyan. “By consolidating our collective experiences and perspectives, we anticipate more effectively resolving existing challenges and advancing Armenian studies on the global stage.”

Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, participated in the Congress. He gave a report on the status of the Fresno State Armenian Studies Program and its activities as part of a panel, “Armenology: Challenges and Perspectives,” chaired by Valentina Calzolari. Prof. Der Mugrdechian presented a power-point where he discussed the achievements of the Armenian Studies Program over the past fifty years. He especially emphasized the student participation in the Program’s courses as well as the popular Armenian Studies Lecture Series.

The three-day Congress was organized in thematic panels, with a moderator and speakers in each panel. One of the panels, on “Manuscript Centers,” brought together, for the first time, the directors of the major Armenian manuscript collections in the world.

During the Congress, guests were invited to special events such as a ceremony, “1 Year’s Eternity: New Manuscript Additions of Matenadaran,” which featured the Matenadaran’s latest manuscript acquisitions. Later that evening, the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia gave a concert at the Matenadaran.

A book fair featured new publications by Armenian Studies centers from throughout the world, including books from the Armenian Series of The Press at California State University, Fresno.

The Congress culminated with a journey to the monastery of Tatev in the Syunik region. Following an overnight stay in Goris, the scholars traveled to the Wings of Tatev aerial tramway station. There they enjoyed an outdoor lunch overlooking the beautiful mountain gorge.

The visit to Syunik also became an opportunity to mark the official launch of a new book published by the Matenadaran, The Spiritual Citadel of Syunik: Tatev by Arsen Harutyunyan. The Congress participants then traveled on the tramway to ex-plore the historic monastery of Tatev. On the return trip to Yerevan, participants visited the Tushpa Wine Cellar in Taperakan, for a wine tasting and to celebrate the conclusion of the successful conference.

The conference organizers stated that they planned to organize a second International Armenological Congress in 2025.