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On September 26, in Tavricheskiy (Tauride) Palace the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov being on a working visit in Saint Petersburg took part in the jubilant event dedicated to the 130^th anniversary of the world famous Orientalist, the Founding President of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia Academician, Director of Hermitage, our compatriot Hovsep Orbeli organized on his initiative and by the IPA CIS.

During the event the RA NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, the IPA CIS Council Secretary General Aleksey Sergeev and The RA NA Permanent Representative to the IPA CIS Hayk Chilingaryan delivered speeches. They highly assessed the contribution of Hovsep Orbeli, the well-acclaimed Armenian, to the development of Oriental Studies.

In his word the RA NA Deputy Speaker noted: “Hovsep Orbeli was a genius not only in the sphere of science and Oriental Studies, but he was also as a great citizen. As during the years of the Armenian Genocide he saved from destruction cultural treasures of the Capital of Bagratuni Armenia Ani from the Turkish Government, so in the years of the Great Patriotic War he remained in Leningrad and organized the evacuation of the museum exhibits. In 1946 during Nuremberg Trial Orbeli disclosed the barbaric essence of fascism. In fact, Hovsep Orbeli is one of the symbols of Leningrad defense, overcoming the blockade and civilisation victory against fascism.”

Within the framework of the jubilant events dedicated to Hovsep Orbeli’s 130^th anniversary an exhibition was also organized, during which the famous Russian Orientalist Yuri Piotrovsky gave a speech.