Anzhela Simonyan, a second-year master's student from the Chair of Turkology at YSU Faculty of Oriental Studies, along with third-year bachelor’s students Nelly Gharibyan, Anzhela Zargaryan, Luiza Hambardzumyan, and Meline Datoyan, participated in the international student conference "Ex Oriente Lux" organized by the Faculty of Oriental Studies at St. Petersburg State University.
More than 165 young researchers from universities and research centers in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, and the People's Republic of China participated in the conference.
Master's student Anzhela Simonyan presented a report titled "Mavi Vatan: The Maritime Ambitions and Strategic Influence of Turkey’s Foreign Policy." In her speech, she emphasized that the Mavi Vatan concept not only provides a theoretical foundation for defining Turkey's maritime ambitions but is also actively applied in current foreign policy and military practices.
Bachelor's student Nelly Gharibyan presented a report titled "The Secret of Letters: An Attempt to Study the Symbolic Meanings of the Ottoman Alphabet". She stated that the letters of the Ottoman alphabet are perceived as sacred symbols, each reflecting spiritual worldviews. In this regard, the Arabic-based writing system was not only a practical linguistic tool but also a bearer of important cultural, religious, and mystical content, deeply connected to Islamic theology, Sufi philosophy, and the perception of cosmic order.
Anzhela Zargaryan delivered a report titled "The Political Influence of the Turkish Community in Germany under the Leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdogan."
"While the Turkish community in Germany has influenced political processes for decades, it is not monolithic. Many political figures not only do not support President Erdogan but also criticize his regime and express opposition to his interference in Germany's internal affairs," she noted.
Luiza Hambardzumyan presented a report titled "Reassessment of Turkish-Iranian Border Changes under Geopolitical Transformations in the South Caucasus after 2020." She pointed out that the region of Nakhichevan is of primary importance, as Turkey seeks to realize its goals by potentially using territories in Armenia and Iran as well.
Meline Datoyan delivered a report titled "Rabia: From a Symbol of Resistance to a Political Strategy (Semiotic Analysis)." She stated, "Symbols play a significant role in the formation of societal identity, values, and collective memory, becoming unique means of expressing struggle and ideologies. They often serve as symbols of unity or resistance, bringing individuals and groups together around shared ideas."
During the conference, the students met with Mikhail Piotrovsky, the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at St. Petersburg State University and the Director of the State Hermitage Museum, and Alexey Anatolyevich, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies.
At the conclusion of the conference, participants were awarded certificates of participation.։
