On November 17, two events organized by the Department of Political Science of the Institute of International Relations and Socio-Political Sciences of the Russian-Armenian University started in Tsaghkadzor: the V International Scientific and Practical Forum "Problems of National Security in the Context of the Transformation of World Politics" and the II Youth Scientific and Educational School "Current Issues of Russian Studies in Armenia.".

Moderator of the grand opening of the events, Hhead of the Political Science Department of RAU Hovhannes Sargsyan has noted that the participants will discuss current issues that require scientific understanding, including controversial issues that need to be discussed at the academic level: "The RAU platform is unique in that here discussions never go beyond the academic framework."

The School of Russian Studies is relevant both in the context of the development of modern interdisciplinary regional studies and from the standpoint of further development of Russian-Armenian relations. Meanwhile, systemic Russian studies in Armenia are underdeveloped, and RAU is one of the few sites where there are certain grounds and potential to fill this gap.

RAU Vice-Rector for Science  Pargev Avetisyan addressed the participants of the event with a welcoming speech, thanking them for their interest in the stated topic: "In the territory of Armenia, the issues related to the direction of Russian studies are very relevant. However, at the same time, we are also interested in promoting Armenian studies in general and Armenian studies in Russia. In this sense, we are ready to be full participants in terms of supporting this initiative with the existing scientific potential of our university."

The speakers particularly noted the unique format of RAU as a scientific and educational center of Russia and Armenia, which allows researchers from the two countries to concentrate on one platform for a closer and more objective study of current issues and problems of cooperation and development.

In his turn, the Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in Armenia Dmitry Litskai emphasized the importance of holding such events: "On behalf of the Russian Embassy in Armenia, on behalf of Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin, I would like to express our gratitude first of all to the organizers, the management of the Russian-Armenian University, for the skillful organization of this comfortable platform, for the fact that such representative expert forces have gathered here, and for the fact that there are young people here who are interested in this issue. I am sure that today there will be an interesting, constructive conversation."

The head of the Russian House in Armenia, Vadim Fefilov, expressed his readiness to assist in the development of Russian studies in Armenia: "It is gratifying that such interest in Russian studies has been shown in Armenia, and in this context I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers. We are ready to join this cause;, this topic interests us. After all, promoting the Russian language is one thing, and studying the Russian world in its civilizational aspect is quite another."

The head of the Center for Post-Soviet Studies at the IMEMO RAS, Eduard Solovyov, delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the Russian expert community.

It should be noted that leading Armenian (Russian-Armenian University, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia) and Russian (IMEMO RAS, MGIMO, RUDN) experts will speak at the discussion panels of the Forum and give lectures at the School on Russian Studies. The participants of the School are students and master's students of the Russian-Armenian University, Southern Federal University and Pyatigorsk State University. The  discussion panels of the Forum will be held on November 17-18, and the School of Russian Studies will continue until November 21.

 

 

 

Translated by
Elen Davtyan