'Urartu and Its Neighbors' international conference opens in Yerevan

PanARMENIAN.Net - 'Urartu and Its Neighbors' international conference dedicated to 90th birthday of professor Nikolay Harutyunyan, prominent researcher into the Urartu Kingdom, opened in Tekeyan Center, Yerevan, on September 22.



The event participants were welcomed by director of RA NAS Institute of Oriental Studies, professor Ruben Safrastyan, academician Vladimir Barkhudaryan and Armenian Education Minister Armen Ashotyan, who handed a gold medal of the Ministry to professor Harutyunyan.



"It's an honor for me to receive the supreme award of the Armenian Ministry of Education. With the government's assistance, my works are accessible to scholars," professor said.



The conference brought together numerous foreign scholars, including Stephan Kroll (Germany), Michael Roaf (Germany), Gernot Wilhelm (Germany), John Greppin , Mirjo Salvini (Italy), David Stronach (U.S.), Rocio da Riva (Spain) and others.



Nikolay Harutyunyan was born in Gyanja, Azeri SSR, in 1920. He graduated from YSU philology department in 1942. Presently, he chairs the department of Ancient East at RA NAS. Over 20 his works were published.