The opening ceremony of the Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies was held on January 25. The event was attended by Prelate of the Armenian Diocese in Lebanon, Archbishop Gegham Khacherian, Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan, President of the University of Lebanon, former minister, Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein, state deputies, as well as representatives of political parties and associations. The event held at the Heritage building of Haigazian University started with speeches by President of Haigazian University, the Very Reverend, Dr. Paul Haydostian and the event's benefactor, founder of the Erjo Samuelian-Tricolor Fund Erjo Samuelian, followed by a welcoming speech by Professor of the University, Dr. Arda Ekmekj, who welcomed the gathered and presented the program, attaching importance to the establishment of such a center in Lebanon. President of the University, the Very Reverend, Dr. Paul Haydostian underlined that the establishment of a Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies “pushes us toward a new stage of resisting challenges". “Lebanon, with its exceptional contribution to culture and with the large presence of Armenians, serves as an impetus, and the Haigazian University is a natural setting for the study of Armenians and the Diaspora in the Middle East," the Very Reverend underlined. “For more than a decade, the establishment of such a center, which was an issue on the agenda of Haigazian University and was proposed during the conference attended by RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan in September 2011, is now a reality," the Very Reverend Haydostian said and expressed satisfaction with Minister Hakobyan’s congratulatory message. Haydostian also expressed deep gratitude to the Center’s benefactor Erjo Samuelian, “without whom the establishment of this center would be impossible”. The Very Reverend Haydostian also thanked Haigazian University’s board of trustees, particularly Dr. Harutyun Nigolian for their support and encouragement. The President of Haigazian University also informed that Dr. Antranig Tagesian had been appointed Head of the Center. In 2010, Tagesian presented his dissertation at Suans University in Cales on the future of Armenians and Kurds in Lebanon. Then, Haydostian expressed his gratitude to former minister, President of the University of Lebanon, Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein and voiced hope for efficient bilateral partnership. In his turn, President of the University of Lebanon, Dr. Adnan Seyid Hussein welcomed the establishment of the center, praised the initiating sides' efforts and pledged to assist the development of this center through partnership. Director of the Center for Armenian Diaspora Studies, Dr. Antranig Tagesian stressed that the relationship between Armenians and the Arabs in the East traces back to the first century B.C. and that the Sisy family, which was a resident of the Sisy capital of the Armenian Cilician Kingdom, settled in the Lebanese Qalamoon region in 1350 and later in the Zgharta region. Dr. Tagesian listed the Armenian Studies Centers of the University of San Josef (USJ), the Hamazkayin and the AGBU in Lebanon that are aimed at encouraging the new generations of Armenians to receive higher education. In the meantime, the Department of Armenian Studies was established at Haigazian University in 1955. Dr. Tagesian thanked benefactor Erjo Samuelian, Haigazian University’s board of trustees and President, the Very Reverend Paul Haydostian. Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan welcomed the establishment of the center and read RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan's congratulatory message for the event in which Hakobyan voiced hope that “the mutual partnership would bring a new sweep to the implementation of research on the Diaspora”. On this occasion, according to tradition, Dr. Paul Haydostian presented special awards to benefactor Erjo Samuelian on behalf of Haigazian University, reports Lebanon's Aztag Daily.

---