SWEDES GETTING MORE INTERESTED IN ARMENIA
Interview
By Hakob Tsulikian
The latest events in Turkey -- governmental discussions and adoption of laws -- stirred up by the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this year could not leave the international community indifferent. Sweden, among other states, gets interested in Armenia and the Armenians. Swede scientists Anders and Ulla-Maj Hultgords, who are visiting Yerevan these days, testify to this.
[...]
It has been already 4 years that Hultgord is in retirement. He taught history of religion at the Uppsala University. First time he visited Armenia in 1970 preparing to defend his thesis. While working at the Greek texts of the 12th apostles, he felt the need of Armenian translations of some sermons.
- What differences will you point out in your two visits?
- It was "Inturist" that organized my visit back then and one could feel being traced. Now everything is different, people are free, kind and hospitable. This time my wife is accompanying me again to carry out researches in Matenadaran. There is difference even in presenting the material. I am so glad to be able to find CDs about materials I am interested in. That will certainly ease my studies.
- Do you maintain relations with the Armenian community of Sweden?
- I'm a member of the International Association of Armenian Studies that has been working for already 20 years. The Armenian community of Sweden is not big, around 4.000. I learnt Grabar for my studies.
[...]
- Mrs. Hultgord, What will you tell about yourself? What's your profession and have you been in Armenia before?
- I am a botanist. I am interested in evolutional development of plants. I was delighted to visit Yerevan's botanic garden. It was very impressive. There are unique species growing there. Pitifully, the garden lacks necessary conditions. This is my first time in Armenia.[...]
- Several months ago they decided in Turkey to change Latin names of a few animals as they contained Armenian or Kurdish words. What will you say about that?
- I was surprised to read about that. That's another sign of intolerance raging in Turkey. By the way, our scientists interbred representatives of orchids and got a new species typical for mountainous regions, especially northeastern Turkey and Caucasian regions. Scientists named it, in protest to Turkey's decision, Dactylophiza Armeniaca.
An article in Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift tells about this (vol. 99, Hatfe 2, 2005).
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears Here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
By Hakob Tsulikian
The latest events in Turkey -- governmental discussions and adoption of laws -- stirred up by the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide this year could not leave the international community indifferent. Sweden, among other states, gets interested in Armenia and the Armenians. Swede scientists Anders and Ulla-Maj Hultgords, who are visiting Yerevan these days, testify to this.
[...]
It has been already 4 years that Hultgord is in retirement. He taught history of religion at the Uppsala University. First time he visited Armenia in 1970 preparing to defend his thesis. While working at the Greek texts of the 12th apostles, he felt the need of Armenian translations of some sermons.
- What differences will you point out in your two visits?
- It was "Inturist" that organized my visit back then and one could feel being traced. Now everything is different, people are free, kind and hospitable. This time my wife is accompanying me again to carry out researches in Matenadaran. There is difference even in presenting the material. I am so glad to be able to find CDs about materials I am interested in. That will certainly ease my studies.
- Do you maintain relations with the Armenian community of Sweden?
- I'm a member of the International Association of Armenian Studies that has been working for already 20 years. The Armenian community of Sweden is not big, around 4.000. I learnt Grabar for my studies.
[...]
- Mrs. Hultgord, What will you tell about yourself? What's your profession and have you been in Armenia before?
- I am a botanist. I am interested in evolutional development of plants. I was delighted to visit Yerevan's botanic garden. It was very impressive. There are unique species growing there. Pitifully, the garden lacks necessary conditions. This is my first time in Armenia.[...]
- Several months ago they decided in Turkey to change Latin names of a few animals as they contained Armenian or Kurdish words. What will you say about that?
- I was surprised to read about that. That's another sign of intolerance raging in Turkey. By the way, our scientists interbred representatives of orchids and got a new species typical for mountainous regions, especially northeastern Turkey and Caucasian regions. Scientists named it, in protest to Turkey's decision, Dactylophiza Armeniaca.
An article in Svensk Botanisk Tidskrift tells about this (vol. 99, Hatfe 2, 2005).
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears Here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
posted by Vahe Balabanian at 8:32 AM
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