President awarded Professor of Armenian Studies Theo Maarten van Lint and Associate Professor of Armenian Studies Anna Sirinian

President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan received Professor of Armenian Studies at the University of Oxford, Theo Maarten van Lint, and Associate Professor of Armenian Studies at the University of Bologna, Anna Sirinian. They were accompanied by Ara Khzmalyan, Director of the Matenadaran and representatives of its leadership team. Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of the Republic of Armenia, Zhanna Andreasyan, also participated in the meeting.

Welcoming the guests, the President highly praised the long-standing academic work and valuable contributions of Professor van Lint and Associate Professor Sirinian to the development of Armenian Studies.

“The work you have carried out over the years is truly commendable. Through your academic efforts, you have introduced the Armenian language, literature, culture, and history to the world. Your work holds great importance for us as well, and I encourage you to continue this devoted endeavor,” said President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

The President emphasized that Armenia today places special focus on Armenian Studies and science in general. According to him, an analysis of the past five years of state policy and upcoming five-year programs clearly shows that education and science are key priorities.

Speaking about the era of technological advancement and artificial intelligence, President Khachaturyan highlighted that in Armenia’s pursuit of becoming a high-tech country, the role of education and science continues to grow. In this context, he also underscored the importance of Armenian Studies as a cornerstone for preserving national identity and deepening international academic cooperation.

Expressing gratitude for the warm welcome and the high appreciation, Associate Professor Anna Sirinian said the President’s encouraging words were a great source of inspiration for her. At the same time, she emphasized the need for more active efforts and collaboration in order to achieve even greater results.

At the end of the meeting, President Vahagn Khachaturyan awarded Professor Theo Maarten van Lint and Associate Professor Anna Sirinian with the Movses Khorenatsi Medal for their significant contribution to the development of Armenian Studies and their long-term fruitful academic work. The President warmly congratulated them and wished them continued success in their scholarly activities.