Participation of a BSAMLA employee in the international scientific conference «Belarus – Armenia: pages of history»

On April 18–19, 2024, at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, together with the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Republic of Belarus and the Foundation for the Development and Support of Armenian Studies «ANIV», an international scientific conference «Belarus – Armenia: pages of history» was held, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Belarus.

More than 50 researchers, journalists and public figures from Belarus, Armenia and Russia took part in the scientific forum.

The conference was opened by V.L. Gursky, who read out the welcoming address of the Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, academician, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor V.G. Gusakov. The conference participants were addressed with a welcoming speech by: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Republic of Belarus R.M. Khumaryan; Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor V.L. Lakiza; Director of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Candidate of Historical Sciences A.A. Bobokhyan; General Director of the Foundation for Development and Support of Armenian Studies «ANIV» A.V. Khechoyan.

The work of the conference was held in accordance with the chronological and thematic plan within the framework of the following problem fields: Armenian-Belarusian cultural relations of the 16th–21st centuries; genealogy of Armenian families in Belarusian lands; Armenian warriors in military operations on the territory of Belarus in the 18th–20th centuries; officials of Armenian origin on the territory of the Belarusian provinces. XVIII – beginning XX century; immigrants from Belarus in the Erivan, Elisavetpol provinces, Kars region of the Russian Empire, the Armenian SSR; Armenian cultural heritage in archives, libraries and museums of the Republic of Belarus; the Armenian diaspora in the Republic of Belarus and the Belarusian diaspora in the Republic of Armenia.

The scientific community was presented with the monograph «Majar: the Armenian clan in the history of Belarus», published by the Foundation for the Development and Support of Armenian Studies «ANIV» with the participation of the National Historical Archive of Belarus and the assistance of the Department of Archives and Records Management of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus.

The conference was attended by the head of the department of information, publication and use of documents of the Belarusian State Museum-Archive of Literature and Art (hereinafter referred to as BSAMLA), candidate of historical sciences, associate professor Veronika Petrovna Skok. On April 19, she acted as one of the moderators of the third meeting of the conference, held within the framework of the topic «History of Belarusian-Armenian cultural relations: modern times.» In addition, an employee of BSAMLA presented the report «Participant of the Great Patriotic War Ghevond Saakovich Gabrielyan: documents from the personal archive.» The speech demonstrated the potential possibility of considering a family, clan archive as a special «research field» of a separate personal archive through the prism of analyzing not only personal documents, but also documents of personal origin, as well as documents on personnel. The report also placed emphasis on the unique role of BSAMLA as a scientific and methodological center for working with documents of personal origin.

At the final meeting, the results of the conference were summed up, where all participants were unanimous in the opinion that the conference would strengthen the dialogue and open up wide opportunities for cooperation between Belarus and Armenia in the field of science and culture based on mutual trust and many years of experience in effective interaction.

Photo 1. Participants of the international scientific conference «Belarus – Armenia: pages of history.»

Photo 2. Monograph «Majar: the Armenian family in the history of Belarus.»

Photo 3. Moderators of the III meeting of the conference V.P. Skok (head of department, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor – BSAMLA), A.V. Rusakovich (doctor of historical sciences, professor – FMO BSU), O. N. Borovskaya (research fellow, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor – Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus) (from left to right). Speaker: S.A. Oreshin, researcher at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology named after. N.N. Miklouho-Maclay RAS, Ph.D.

Photo 4. V.P. Skok (head of department, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor – BSAMLA) makes a presentation at the international scientific conference «Belarus – Armenia: pages of history.»