Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Armenian Diaspora Studies Center Opens In Lebanon

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Armenian Diaspora Studies Center Opens In Lebanon

    ARMENIAN DIASPORA STUDIES CENTER OPENS IN LEBANON

    Noyan Tapan
    2012-01-26

    The opening ceremony of the Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies was
    held on January 25.

    The event was attended by Prelate of the Armenian Diocese in Lebanon,
    Archbishop Gegham Khacherian, Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot
    Kocharyan, President of the University of Lebanon, former minister,
    Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein, state deputies, as well as representatives
    of political parties and associations.

    The event held at the Heritage building of Haigazian University started
    with speeches by President of Haigazian University, the Very Reverend,
    Dr. Paul Haydostian and the event's benefactor, founder of the Erjo
    Samuelian-Tricolor Fund Erjo Samuelian, followed by a welcoming
    speech by Professor of the University, Dr. Arda Ekmekj, who welcomed
    the gathered and presented the program, attaching importance to the
    establishment of such a center in Lebanon.

    President of the University, the Very Reverend, Dr. Paul Haydostian
    underlined that the establishment of a Center for Armenian Diaspora
    Studies "pushes us toward a new stage of resisting challenges".

    "Lebanon, with its exceptional contribution to culture and with the
    large presence of Armenians, serves as an impetus, and the Haigazian
    University is a natural setting for the study of Armenians and the
    Diaspora in the Middle East," the Very Reverend underlined.

    "For more than a decade, the establishment of such a center, which
    was an issue on the agenda of Haigazian University and was proposed
    during the conference attended by RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush
    Hakobyan in September 2011, is now a reality," the Very Reverend
    Haydostian said and expressed satisfaction with Minister Hakobyan's
    congratulatory message.

    Haydostian also expressed deep gratitude to the Center's benefactor
    Erjo Samuelian, "without whom the establishment of this center would
    be impossible". The Very Reverend Haydostian also thanked Haigazian
    University's board of trustees, particularly Dr. Harutyun Nigolian
    for their support and encouragement.

    The President of Haigazian University also informed that Dr. Antranig
    Tagesian had been appointed Head of the Center. In 2010, Tagesian
    presented his dissertation at Suans University in Cales on the future
    of Armenians and Kurds in Lebanon.

    Then, Haydostian expressed his gratitude to former minister, President
    of the University of Lebanon, Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein and voiced
    hope for efficient bilateral partnership. In his turn, President
    of the University of Lebanon, Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein welcomed the
    establishment of the center, praised the initiating sides' efforts and
    pledged to assist the development of this center through partnership.

    Director of the Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies, Dr. Antranig
    Tagesian stressed that the relationship between Armenians and the
    Arabs in the East traces back to the first century B.C. and that the
    Sisy family, which was a resident of the Sisy capital of the Armenian
    Cilician Kingdom, settled in the Lebanese Qalamoon region in 1350 and
    later in the Zgharta region. Dr. Tagesian listed the Armenian Studies
    Centers of the University of San Josef (USJ), the Hamazkayin and the
    AGBU in Lebanon that are aimed at encouraging the new generations of
    Armenians to receive higher education. In the meantime, the Department
    of Armenian Studies was established at Haigazian University in 1955.

    Dr. Tagesian thanked benefactor Erjo Samuelian, Haigazian University's
    board of trustees and President, the Very Reverend Paul Haydostian.

    Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan welcomed the
    establishment of the center and read RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush
    Hakobyan's congratulatory message for the event in which Hakobyan
    voiced hope that "the mutual partnership would bring a new sweep to
    the implementation of research on the Diaspora".

    On this occasion, according to tradition, Dr. Paul Haydostian presented
    special awards to benefactor Erjo Samuelian on behalf of Haigazian
    University, reports Lebanon's Aztag Daily.

Working...
X