PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: pr@himnadram.org
Web:
1 June, 2009
Hayastan All Armenian Fund congratulates Vahakn Dadrian and Wolfgang Gust,
among winners of President Prize
The Hayastan All Armenian Fund congratulates all winners of the 2008
President Prize, including intellectuals Vahakn Dadrian and Wolfgang Gust,
who were awarded the prestigious prize for their valuable contributions to
the study of Mets Yeghern as well as efforts to secure worldwide recognition
for the first genocide of the 20th century.
Gust received the President Prize for his groundbreaking research of German
state archives pertaining to the 1915 Genocide. His landmark 2005 study, The
Armenian Genocide During the First World War: Documents from German State
Archives, reveals the deep-rooted relations between imperial Germany and the
Ottoman Empire during the first part of the 20th century, particularly as
documented in the secret correspondence of the German consul and ambassador
in Istanbul with the Turkish government.
Gust’s 675-page volume includes 218 secret and top-secret telegrams,
letters, and communiqués, most of which have never been published
previously.
A renowned journalist and scholar, Gust has long been dedicated to the study
of the Genocide. An Armenian translation of his first work related to the
subject, 1993’s The Armenian Genocide: The Tragedy of the Oldest Christian
Nation, was published in Armenia in 2002. In recognition of Gust’s
achievement, His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, bestowed
on him the St. Sahak and St. Mashtots medal in 2001.
Professor Vahakn Dadrian, who has devoted his entire career to the study of
the Genocide, received the President Prize not only for his past
achievements but ongoing research within his field. Currently serving as
Director of Genocide Research at the Zoryan Institute in Arlington,
Massachusetts, Dadrian is the author of numerous pioneering studies on the
Genocide, German complicity, Turkish denial, parallels between the Genocide
and the Holocaust, and related topics.
The President Prize’s special category, Valuable Contribution to the
Recognition of the Genocide, was instituted in 2005. The prize for the
category includes a certificate of achievement, a medal, and a monetary
award in the amount of $10,000. To date, nine scholars and public figures,
including four Armenians, have received the President Prize in this
category.
Commenting on the President Prize phenomenon, Ara Vardanyan, executive
director of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, said, `It’s a great honor to
acknowledge some of the most accomplished scientists, scholars, and artists
of our time, and especially to be able to express our gratitude to those who
have contributed so much to the field of Genocide recognition. The Hayastan
All Armenian Fund is extremely proud of its role as organizer and
coordinator of the President Prize competitions and awards ceremonies. We
look forward to continuing to build on this tradition, thanks to the support
of the Boghossian Foundation.’
Established in 2000 by the Boghossian Foundation, the President Prize
promotes excellence in the Armenian arts, sciences, and Genocide-recognition
efforts. It also includes the President Youth Prize, which awards young
talents in various fields. Administered by the Hayastan All Armenian Fund,
the juried annual prize is bestowed on recipients by the President of the
Republic of Armenia, during a rewards ceremony held at the presidential
residence. This year the prize was awarded to 21 individuals, for
achievements in one of nine categories.
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Hayastan All Armenian Fund