European Parliament to Host Conference Addressing Preservation of Nagorno-Karabakh's Cultural Heritage

In a proactive move to address the ongoing threats to Artsakh's cultural and religious heritage, the European Parliament will host a conference initiated by MEP Miriam Lexmann. The "Conference on Protecting Armenian Cultural and Religious Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh" aims to shed light on the destruction of Armenian heritage in the region, with a call for accountability regarding Azerbaijan's actions.

Miriam Lexmann, speaking ahead of the event, expressed concern over the destruction of Armenian heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh and highlighted the need for action. Despite the EU's energy agreement with Azerbaijan, she emphasized the importance of upholding the EU's core values, stating, "...we don't have the right to question or ignore the EU value system."

Pierre d'Argent, a professor at the University of Louvain and guest professor at the University of Leiden, who serves as Counsel for Armenia before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), denounced the Azerbaijani government's distortion of reality by denying the existence of Armenian cultural heritage.

Armenia's Ambassador to Belgium and Permanent Representative to the EU, Tigran Balayan, provided historical context, noting that the campaign of destroying Armenian cultural heritage began in 2005. He emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue, stating, "We've reached this point because nothing was done to prevent it."

Scheduled for January 24, the conference brings together experts and advocates to discuss actionable steps to safeguard Nagorno-Karabakh's rich cultural and religious legacy.