The staff of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation with great regret has received the news of the passing away of Professor Vahakn Dadrian, who had an international reputation in the field of Armenian Genocide studies.

For many years the renowned professor was a living legend for several generations of scientists with his dedicated scientific work and achievements.

Through his scientific researches Vahakn Dadrian has opened a new path for the study of the history of the Armenian Genocide, greatly contributing to the comprehensive study of the historical reality of the genocide, which had an invaluable and important impact on the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. Vahakn Dadrian has done his research on the history of the Armenian Genocide through official documents of the Ottoman Empire.

Studying the history of the Armenian Genocide for many years Vahagn Dadrian was convinced: “Genocide cannot be realized at once, it takes a long time to prepare, and the executioner is waiting for the right moment”.

Since the establishment of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Vahakn Dadrian had professional and friendly relations with the institution and always participated in the AGMI events, conferences, lectures, etc. Famous Genocide expert, historian and sociologist Vahakn Norair Dadrian was born in 26 May 1926, in Istanbul. Dadrian studied mathematics at the University of Berlin, philosophy at the University of Vienna and international law at the University of Zürich. In 1970–1991 Dadrian was a professor of sociology at State University of New York at the same time he had been Senior Researcher for Middle East Studies at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Technology Centers for International Studies. In 1990’s he had been director of a large Genocide study project sponsored by H. Guggenheim Foundation, and since 1991 he was the scientific director of Genocide Research at Zoryan Institute (Toronto and Cambridge). He was one of the founders of comparative genocide studies. His main works relate to the history of the Armenian Genocide, issues of comparative genocide studies, analysis of the legal, psychological aspects of the genocide.

He is the author of many valuable monographs and articles, such as “The Treatment of the Ottoman Genocide by the Ottoman Parliament and its Historical Analysis” (in Armenian 1995), “German Responsibility in the Armenian Genocide: A Review of the Historical Evidence of German Complicity” (in English, 1996), “Warrant for Genocide: Key Elements of Turko-Armenian Conflict” (in English, 1998) monographs. The Analysis of the Armenian Genocide in the Context of International Law dedicated to “Genocide as a problem of national and international law: The World War I Armenian case and its contemporary legal ramifications” (in English, 1989).

He has delivered lectures on Genocide issues at many universities around the world, in a number of scientific and public centers. Since 1998 he is a foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA). In 1995 he was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of NAS RA, Movses Khorenatsi medal (1998), Veritas Gold Medal of Harvard University (2001), Gold medal of Union of Armenians of Russia (2002), Gold Medal of NAS RA, Gold medal of Fridtjof Nansen in Italy (2003), International Association of Genocide Scholars, Lifetime Achievement Award and St. Sahag and St. Mesrob Medal and Encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians (2005), President of the Republic Prize Gold Medal of Armenia (2009) for a substantial scholarly contribution to the Armenian Genocide studies.

In March 2013, prominent scientist participated in The State Commission on the Coordination of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and participated in the conference organized by the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute under the title “Armenian Genocide: Challenges on the eve of the Centenary”, in the framework of which he presented a study entitled "Prospects for the Armenian Genocide Research".