Dear colleagues of the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, as we conclude the year 2025, we can confidently state that it has been a year marked by achievements attained through our joint efforts, the continued implementation of reforms, the modernization of infrastructure, an active agenda of external relations, and meaningful international repositioning.
It is sufficient to note that the number of publications indexed in international scholarly databases has doubled; our researchers have participated in nearly seventy international conferences held abroad; and at the same time, more than one hundred scholars from leading universities and research centers around the world have taken part in the academic events initiated by our institution.
Thanks to our young and talented specialists, 2025 marked the establishment of the Armenian Restoration Paper Production Workshop; the proposal for the Laboratory for the Restoration and Study of Arabic-Script Manuscripts was approved, and our commitment to the preservation and public dissemination of Armenian manuscript heritage beyond Armenia was further strengthened. With the support of benefactors and donors, the Matenadaran’s manuscript collection was enriched by forty additional items, an accessibility system for visitors with visual impairments was introduced in the exhibition halls, nearly two dozen scholarly and popular-science publications were released, among which the launch of the Armenian Medieval Translation Literature series represented a particularly significant milestone. In addition, a digital database of Armenian manuscript catalogues was created.
Thanks to Ararat Bank, which was awarded the Matenadaran’s “Benefector of Matenadaran” Gold Medal in 2025, we are entering 2026 with a fully modernized security system. With the support of the Matenadaran’s benefactors, the Badalyan family, work has begun on establishing museum gift shops and a café. We will have opportunities in the near future to present the full scope of the projects that have been implemented.
Perhaps the most emotional event of the past year was the acquisition of an exceptional and invaluable manuscript by Sargis Shnorhali as part of the “Homecoming of Manuscripts” campaign, made possible with the support of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. This represented an unprecedented effort to reveal and unite scattered fragments of our identity across the world.
I am confident that all we have achieved has been guided by the deep awareness that the results of our work belong to the entire Armenian community, and therefore we are accountable to it. I am profoundly grateful for the joint realization of this extremely important mission. I extend my humble appreciation to all our supporting organizations, benefactors, and donors for their capacity and willingness to believe in our vision, to be inspired by our inspirations, and to be encouraged by our optimism.
I would like to convey my special gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of the Republic of Armenia for their generous support of all these initiatives and for giving them state-level significance.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish that 2026 will be a year of unstoppable progress and fulfillment of the mission of our spiritual and intellectual sanctuary, the Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, as well as a year of strengthening our country and securing enduring peace.
Happy New Year and Merry Christmas…
Ara Khzmalyan
Director of the Matenadaran