RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Vahram Dumanyan participated today in the presentation of the book "Jerusalem and the Armenians" by the renowned Armenologist and historian Claude Armen Mutafyan.

At the event held at the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts named after Mesrop Mashtots (Matenadaran), the MESCS Minister expressed special thanks to Claude Armen Mutafyan for his work and also congratulated him on his 80th birthday.

"Mr. Armen Mutafyan, although mathematics is your first profession, your contribution to the development of Armenian studies in France and the popularization of Armenian history and culture is huge. Your contribution to the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is particularly great. It is also through your efforts that France legally became the first country to condemn the Armenian Genocide," stated Vahram Dumanyan.

According to the minister of ESCS, Claude Armen Mutafyan, although he continued his activities in France, he never stopped being Armenian and always remained loyal to his roots and collective memory. It is no coincidence that he is a foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, an honorary doctor of Yerevan State University, Matenadaran, and a longtime friend of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.

Vahram Dumanyan stressed that the Republic of Armenia highly values ​​the merits of Claude Armen Mutafyan in preserving Armenian culture, developing and popularizing Armenian studies, and by the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia dated October 21, 2022, Claude Armen Mutafyan, professor of Sorbonne University, foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, is awarded the "Movses Khorenatsi" medal.

Claude Armen Mutafyan thanked for the award and told the audience about the idea of ​​creating the book "Jerusalem and the Armenians." It is dedicated to the Armenian Jerusalem. "The book presents Armenian lancets kept in the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Holy City since the 5th century, mosaics with Armenian letters kept in various churches of Jerusalem, valuable scepters of the kings of Cilicia, the patent kept in the Patriarchate and attributed to Salah ad-Din."

According to the author, one of the most significant merits of the book is the discovery of the gems of the Armenian manuscript culture. It has an exclusive educational and cognitive significance. Claude Armen Mutafyan also noted that the picture book was published by the internationally renowned "Belle Lettre" publishing house.

The presentation of the book "Jerusalem and the Armenians" was also attended by Ara Khzmalyan, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Director of the Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts named after Mesrop Mashtots, Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan, Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage and Folk Crafts of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Astghik Marabyan.