On November 14-15, 2013 Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University hosted scientific conference in memory of professor, orientalist Levon Melikset-Bek. University Institute of Oriental Studies initiated the conference.

Great orientalist and historian Levon Melikset-Bek made an undeniable contribution to annals of the study of Armenian-Georgian historical sources. He is the founder of Department of Armenian Studies at Tbilisi State University; he brought up and gave many armenologists, orientalists and historians start to scientific life. The Department of Armenian Studies at Ivane Javakhishvili State University is named after Levon Melikset-Bek. Commemorative conference marked the 50^th anniversary of the death of the great scientist.

The conference brought together the scientists of the Georgian National Center of Manuscripts and university staff, Melikset-Bek’s students, the majority of whom are famous scientists today, his successors, lecturers, graduate students, students. The leaders of the creative unions, functioning under the auspices of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia and employees of the “Hayartun” Center attended the conference. The great scientist’s family members – his son and daughter – were in the hall.

Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Professor, and Corresponding Member of Georgian Academy of Sciences Apollon Silagadze opened the conference with introductory word and welcomed the audience. Academician, Professor of Georgian National Academy of Sciences Zaza Aleksidze, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities of the University, Professors Darejan Tvaltvadze, poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari, orientalist and translator Zezva Medulashvili, the editor of "Vrastan" ("Georgia") Van Baiburtyan shared their memories of the scientist, Head of the Department of Armenian Studies, scientific adviser - Levon Melikset-Bek, who created a unique and rich library in the Caucasus region. Historian, Chairman of Tbilisi Organization of Armenian Intellectual’s in Georgia Yenok Tadevosyan wished fruitful work to the conference participants and presented to the Department of Armenian Studies two copies of handbook entitled "History of Medieval Iran" by Samvel Markaryan.

Among many presentations made at the conference, PhD student of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, employee of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia Diana Ter-Bagdasarova presented interesting and informative report entitled “Codicological and Textological Study of the Manuscript 404, preserved at H Fund of the Georgian National Center of Manuscripts”, which she had carefully studied.

Scientist’s daughter Manana delivered a speech and expressed her gratitude for the commemoration of Levon Melikset-Bek and appreciation of his scientific work…

Reports on Melikset-Bek’s scientific activities as well as the whole material presented at the conference on various topics in Oriental studies will be published as a collection.