FIRST TIME EVER A CONFERENCE ON THE ARABIAN GULF COUNTRIES AND THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY WAS ORGANIZED

HYETERT – The International academic conference, “GULF ARAB COUNTRIES AND THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES: CURRENT TRENDS AND ISSUES” took place, Monday, July the 4th, 2022.

The conference was organised by the National Academy of Sciences – Institute of the Oriental Studies in the Republic of Armenia.

The conference aimed to become a platform of Science diplomacy within the framework of which diplomats and academic circles will discuss the role of Gulf Arab countries in the international and regional levels, the possibilities of Armenia-Gulf Arab countries cooperation, as well as the features of Armenian communities in the Gulf region, current trends and challenges.

The conference hosted several diplomats – Ambassador of Armenia to Tunisia and Morocco, Former Ambassador of Armenia to UAE H.E. Dr. Arshak Poladian, General Consul of Armenia in Erbil Mr. Arshak Manoukian, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the Republic of Armenia and Georgia H.E. Mr. Bahaa El Din Bahgat Dessouki, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Syria to the Republic of Armenia H.E. Dr. Nora Arisian, Chargé d’ Affairs of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates to Republic of Armenia H.E. Dr. Ahlam Rashid al-Salami, Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq to the Republic of Armenia H.E. Dr. Suhailan M. Khaleel Al-Jubori.​

Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, YSU Mr. Ruben Melkonyan is going to have a greeting speech. Leading research fellows from Gulf Arab countries (UAE, Kuwait and Qatar), the Institute of Oriental Studies NAS RA, Yerevan State University and V. Brusov State University participated in the conference.

A good number of university students in Armenia were among the attendees. Hrayr Jebejian, the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Gulf (Arabian Peninsula), took part in this conference and presented the paper, “Christian Presence in the Gulf- Historical Developments, Mission and Challenges”. It is worth to indicate that this is the first time ever a conference on the Arabian Gulf countries and the Armenian community was organized.

Source: Department of International Relations/Institute of Oriental Studies NAS RA