Ճանաչել զիմաստութիւն և զխրատ
to identify wisdom and to learn from the words of the geniuses
THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF FELLOWS
ASOF 2026
Dilijan, Armenia · June 18 – 20, 2026
Welcome & Opening
Mary A. Papazian · Lucineh Kassarjian
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Բարի գալուստ
Welcome
To our Fellows, partners, patrons, and guests —
It is a privilege to open the fifth annual gathering of the Armenian Society of Fellows. We meet again in Dilijan — a place that has become, in a short five years, a kind of intellectual home for our network. Over the next three days, we will think together, argue together, and plan together: about Armenia’s scientific capacity, about the protection of our cultural inheritance, about ethics in public life, about the future of the diaspora, and about the work that only a network like ours can do.
Before we begin that work, a few words about who we are, where we have been, and what these three days will ask of us.
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About ASOF
Founded
April 24, 2021
A small group of scholars established ASOF as a non-profit, non-religious 501(c)(3) organization with no political affiliations. The inaugural meeting was held at San Lazzaro Monastery in Venice. The organization is also registered as a foundation in Armenia and as a non-profit association in France.
Inspired by the late Dr. Vartan Gregorian. By ASOF’s own bylaws, the organization will self-dissolve in June 2042 — a deliberate twenty-year window of intensive work.
Mission
To help raise Armenia’s educational and research institutions to world-class levels, and to network them globally.
To contribute to the development of a modern, sophisticated, and internationally networked civil society in Armenia.
VISION
To help the Armenian Nation achieve her full potential as a key contributor to world culture, and to safeguard Armenian culture in Armenia and abroad.
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ASOF by the Numbers
As of June 2026
382
Fellows
scholars, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs
35
Countries
across four continents
126
Areas of expertise
from physics to philology
5
Years
since founding, April 2021
From a group of a dozen in 2021 to a network of nearly four hundred today.
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Who We Are
Geographic Distribution
by region of residence
Disciplines
by primary area of work
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Five Years of Convenings
Each year, we gather in person to set strategy and accelerate the work.
2022
Venice
Inaugural meeting · San Lazzaro Monastery
2023
Dilijan
First gathering on Armenian soil
2024
Yerevan
Expansion of committees & task forces
2025
Dilijan
Programs deepen: SIREH, ARCS·ai, ETICA
2026
Dilijan
This week · 378 Fellows strong
In addition to the annual gathering, ASOF has convened regional meetings — most recently at USC in April 2025 — to deepen diaspora engagement.
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Key Projects
Transformative, large-scale initiatives delegated to dedicated entities.
ArCH
Armenian Cultural Heritage
An independent, apolitical committee inside ASOF dedicated to the sustainable cultural development and protection of the Armenian cultural legacy — in Armenia and globally. The SIREH foundation, registered in Armenia, executes and supervises projects endorsed by the ArCH Council.
Endangered treasures · contemporary artistic life · awareness for a peaceful society
ARCS·ai
Advanced Research in Computational Sciences & AI
An ASOF Council with strategy and oversight over operations in computational sciences, engineering, and applied sciences. ARCS·ai connects scientists from Armenia and abroad, develops international collaborations, and engages institutions at scale to raise the profile of research in Armenian society.
International collaboration · institutional partnerships · public outreach
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Selected Programs
Smaller-scale, strategic initiatives — often pilots for larger projects.
Seismic Safety
5 JOINT TASK FORCES
An effort by ASOF engineers and architects to strengthen seismic safety in Armenia. After reaching out to the Prime Minister’s office, ASOF has established five joint task forces with government agencies reviewing building codes, retrofitting, plan-check, education and licensing, and construction supervision.
ETICA
EU-FUNDED · AUA
An EU-funded project building the Center for Ethics in Public Affairs at the American University of Armenia. Led by ERA Chair Prof. Maria Baghramian, ETICA seeks to become a national hub for addressing ethical issues in the public sphere — research, training, and an international collaborator network.
Health Sciences
STRATEGIC VISION
The Health Sciences Committee is charged with developing a strategic vision and the associated projects for partnering with Armenia’s healthcare sector to increase the quality of care provided to the population, improve medical education, and connect with cutting-edge research in the life sciences.
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How We Work
The Fellows
382 members · elect officers annually
Executive Board
15 officers · ~3 new each year
Committees
set up by the Board to oversee strategic domains
Task Forces
formed by members around common interests
Programs & Projects
smaller pilots and large transformative initiatives
By ASOF bylaws, the organization will self-dissolve in June 2042 — a deliberate, finite window for transformative work.
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The Shape of These Three Days
DAY 1
Thursday, June 18
Strategy & COP 17
DAY 2
Friday, June 19
Sciences & ARCS·ai
DAY 3
Saturday, June 20
Summaries & Closing
Three days, three movements — strategy first, then deep work, then synthesis and stewardship.
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A Few Notes for the Week
1
Three parallel side sessions
On Thursday and Friday afternoons. Choose what calls to you — the work of each session is summarized for the full group on Saturday morning.
2
Elections on Saturday
Three new Executive Board officers will be elected, as the bylaws prescribe. Watch the portal for candidate statements and voting instructions.
3
Photo and convening on Friday at noon
We will gather as a full Society for the annual photograph. Please be on time — this is the only image of the 2026 Fellows we will have.
4
Speak to one another
The hallways between sessions are where most of the year’s collaborations begin. Bring business cards, or simply bring curiosity.
ASOF 2026 · DILIJAN · WELCOME
“Now to the work.”
Thank you to our patrons, our partners, our hosts in Dilijan,
and to every Fellow who travelled to be in this room.
Let us begin.
THE ARMENIAN SOCIETY OF FELLOWS · asof.am