Armenian and Caucasus studies at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

What?

Armenian and Caucasian studies program at Sofia University is a program dedicated to the Armenian language, culture and history. The increasing need for qualified specialists in Armenian language and matters made the establishing of this specialty possible.

When?

The specialty was created in 1995 under the name "Armenian philology" in response to the more strengthening relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Armenia in the economic, science and culture areas. The appearance of this new specialty in the Centre for Eastern languages and cultures at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” is a call between the Bulgarian and Armenian people for restitution and expansion of the traditionally good relations, dating back from II century.

Why?

From geographical and civilizational point of view Armenia however belongs to the Trans-Caucasus and Trans- Caspian , and exactly in this area during the last 2 decades are running processes, which are lightly known and studied in Bulgaria, and as though remain underestimated and without the needed attention not only from the wide public, but also from the public institutions. One of the most important arguments in favour of the need to know this region beyond the Black sea for example is the fact that through the Caucasian region will pass one of the segments of the future oil-conduct “Nabuko” before continuing to Turkey, the Balkans and from there to Western Europe, as well as namely Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan (together with Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan) are the countries, which are directly involved in the geopolitical and energy rivalry between the United States and Russia on the background of the raising threat of Islamic extremism not only in the Caucasian region , but also in worldwide significance.

Precisely with a view to the need of recognition of the history and the culture of the nations in the Trans-Caucasus and Trans- Caspian and of the processes, which today are running there, from the scholar 2009/2010 the specialty will be renamed to Armenian and Caucasian studies and will provide new disciplines with ethnological, literary, historical, culturological, demographically sociological and geo-political orientation to the above mentioned region.

Who?

Currently classes of Armenian and Caucasian Studies are carried out by two lecturers on the pay-roll. Part-time and professor’s degree lecturers take significant part in the academic process. For more detailed information see section Staff.