On May 16, 2011, the section of Kurdish Studies and Regional Problems of the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences held the second Lazarev Readings dedicated to the memory of the famous Russian historian and Kurdish scholar, Doctor of Historical Sciences M. S. Lazarev. It was opened by V. Ya. Belokrenitsky, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors. Director of the Institute and head of the Center, who in his speech noted the great contribution to Oriental studies of M. S. Lazarev, a scientist and a general specialist. He also stressed the importance of developing a new tradition of holding an annual conference on Kurdish studies, as one of the traditional areas of complex Oriental studies. The result of this work has already become a collection of articles "Lazarev Readings", and this initiative attracted the participation of Kurdish scholars not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg, as well as in Armenia. The conference was opened by the report of the Head of the Department. Department of Kurdish Studies and Regional Problems of O. I. Zhigalina, who spoke about the history of the emergence of this science in Russia and the stages of its development in the Soviet and post-Soviet times. Despite the fact that information about the Kurds first appeared in the works of foreign authors during the period of increasing European colonial expansion in the East, the first serious research on Kurdish studies was undertaken by Russian scientists. Almost simultaneously, both fundamental and applied areas in Kurdish studies were born and began to develop, which established itself in the recognized status of an independent Oriental specialty. The Russian Academy of Sciences and the University of St. Petersburg laid the foundations for the study of the Kurds and their country, and began teaching and studying them. page 159 The most valuable monuments of Kurdish culture, history, and literature were ... Читать далее