Armenia has continuously drawn the attention of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the appalling situation of the Armenian cultural heritage in neighboring Azerbaijan.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, on Friday stated the above-said in his address at the 38th session of the UNESCO General Conference, which has kicked off in Paris.

“Mr. President:

“In an era when the protection and promotion of human rights are considered to be the underpinning concept for the civilized world, intolerance towards the values of civilization belonging to others, intentionally damaging or destroying cultural or religious heritage, must be condemned with the same resolve and determination as violence against people. The international community should act in a resolute and timely manner to protect what is still possible to preserve.

“Mr. President:

“Armenia has continuously drawn the attention of this high body to the appalling situation of the Armenian cultural heritage in neighboring Azerbaijan. In Nakhijevan region alone thousands of medieval cross-stones, hundreds of Armenian churches, monasteries and other sacred sites have been completely destroyed by Azerbaijan in an attempt to erase all traces of the people who have inhabited the region for centuries and who gave the name to it – ‘Nakhijevan,’ which in Armenian literally means ‘the first place of descent,’ a reference to the descent of Biblical Noah. In its recently published report for 2015 the US Commission on International Religious Freedom has made a reference to the vandalized Armenian cemetery in Nakhijevan and reported that the religious freedom in Azerbaijan has further deteriorated, including by bringing examples of Baku’s only remaining Armenian church which is currently used as an archive for the Presidential administration and the confiscated Lutheran Church turned into a concert hall. If we – UNESCO and other international organizations, do not act today what would be the future of those and many other endangered monuments tomorrow?

“In a sharp contrast to this, neighboring Iran has made great efforts to preserve and protect the Armenian cultural heritage. The Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran, the oldest of which dates back to the 7th century, were inscribed on the World Heritage List by the Iranian Government. On our part, Armenia reconstructed the Iranian 18th century Blue Mosque in Yerevan, and is going to inscribe it on the World Heritage List.

“Armenia tries to make its own contribution to the efforts aimed at preservation of the world’s cultural heritage, including through constructive engagement in the relevant bodies of UNESCO. In 2013 Armenia became a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict. A year later we were elected a Vice-chair of the Committee’s Bureau. This year we have joined the Subsidiary Committee to the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of cultural property,” Nalbandian specifically stated.