Oxford Armenian Studies

The multidimensional problems related to the vitality of Western Armenian as a language and the search for solutions is a serious concern in recent years.  A number of community cultural and educational leaders, activists and experts in the Diaspora, who are concerned about the future of Western Armenian, are engaged in the process of tackling these issues. Indeed, the future of Western Armenian, recently classified as an “endangered language” by UNESCO, has become one of the most critical questions discussed in Armenian society and the medai.

 

Of course, there are a number of initiatives, such as the ones under the auspices of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Armenian Communities Department, which have started to seriously study the problems. Among these studies are, for instance, the situation of Armenian schools in the Diaspora and the problems related to the teaching of Western Armenian as a language.

 

Nevertheless, the political and socio-economic realities and circumstances imposed, willingly or unwillingly, in the 21st century have an impact on the prospects of Western Armenian. Beyond speaking and teaching the language, the future of Western Armenian is determined by its vitality, which among other factors requires an army of people who think, create, write and publish in Western Armenian.

 

The Armenian Studies at University of Oxford (Faculty of the Oriental Studies), with the financial support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, organised a conference/workshop in Oxford, held on 21-23 January 2016, in order to discuss and clarify these issues and problems and suggest solutions. The workshop brought together leading writers, intellectuals, experts, publishers and newspaper editors and journalists in the Diaspora and Armenia, who think, write and publish in Western Armenian.

 

The workshop, conducted entirely in Western Armenian, consisted of five sessions of discussions spread over two days (22 & 23 January). The program opened with a public lecture (in English) on Thursday evening (21 January).

 

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

 

Dr Hratch Tchilingirian

Associate Faculty, Armenian Studies, Oriental Institute

(hratch.tchilingirian@orinst.ox.ac.uk)                                       

Prof. Theo van Lint   

Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies  (theo.vanlint@orinst.ox.ac.uk)