DENVER — During the 56th annual meeting of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA) in Denver, Armenians of Colorado, Inc. (AOC) hosted members of the Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) and other scholars of related fields for a dinner reception and panel discussion at the First Baptist Church of Denver.
“Our community was honored to host and hear from Armenian and non-Armenian scholars from across the USA,” remarked AOC Board President Byuzand Yeremyan. “Especially in the aftermath of the 2020 Artsakh War, it is very important for the community at large, especially our youth, to learn from and interact with scholars of Armenian Studies and related fields,” continued Yeremyan.
Participating in the December 2, 2022 dinner reception and panel discussion were scholars Gregory Aftandilian (American University), Alda Benjamen (University of California, Berkeley), Carel Bertram (San Francisco State University), Aslıhan Günhan (Cornell University), Candace Lukasik (Mississippi State University), Stephennie Mulder (University of Texas at Austin), Nareg Seferian (Virginia Tech), Thomas Simsarian Dolan (Emory University), and Heghnar Watenpaugh (University of California, Davis).
Following a welcome message from Yeremyan, who thanked event supporters House of Bread, Kalita Grill, and the Sergoyan family, SAS and AOC member Simon Maghakyan read a statement on behalf of SAS President Christina Maranci, who is also the Mesrob Mashtots Chair in Armenian Studies at Harvard University.
“SAS is very pleased and honored to welcome scholars through Armenians of Colorado’s generous hospitality,” remarked Maranci. “We thank the AOC team, under the leadership of Mr. Yeremyan, for the successful event, and extend our deepest appreciation to each and every scholar that contributes to the field of Armenian studies,” continued Maranci.
After dinner, the scholars participated in a panel discussion, moderated by Maghakyan, during which they introduced themselves and their ongoing research.