“ORIENTAL STUDIES IS A PART OF YOUR IDENTITY”: ALUMNI OF CHAIR OF TURKISH STUDIES GET THEIR GRADUATION DIPLOMAS

The place is symbolic for orientalists: the room where they were handed diplomas belonged to the great devotee of Armenian School of Oriental Studies Hovsep Orbeli.

At the beginning of the event the Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies Professor Ruben Melkonyan thanked the personnel of the museum for warm welcome, then the alumni were presented the history of Hovsep Orbeli’s family and his activity stressing his invaluable role in the establishment of Armenian School of Oriental Studies.

“Oriental Studies is a lifestyle, those who become orientalists remain orientalists throughout their lives, it is a part of your identity”, said the Dean in his speech addressed to the alumni.
He also thanked the head of the Chair of Turkish Studies Alexander Safarayan and the lecturers of the faculty for bringing up another generation of Turkologists.

“Being a Turkologist, especially and Armenian Turkologist is a responsibility as we study a country and a folk that has never been and will hardly ever be friendly to us, so let prudence and vigilance never leave you otherwise you can hurm not only yourselves but your homeland as well”, said Professor Melkonyan.

The students also thanked the faculty for patriotic upbringing and deep professional knowledge.