Saving Armenian cultural heritage from destruction in Azeri-controlled territories is priority – PM Pashinyan

17:13, 26 May 2022

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a meeting with Valéry Freland, the Executive Director of ALIPH – the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas.

The Armenian Prime Minister commended ALIPH’s activities in protecting historic-cultural heritage and expressed readiness for partnership on behalf of the Armenian government, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.

Pashinyan said that protecting the Armenian cultural and religious heritage from destruction in territories that have gone under Azerbaijani control is a priority objective, and that the unhindered involvement of the international community, especially UNESCO, is highly important to preserve Armenian monuments in Nagorno Karabakh and prevent the continuous cases of vandalism.

The sides also discussed cooperation issues in the direction of preserving and restoring historical-cultural monuments in the territory of Armenia.

Views were exchanged over the reinforcement and digitization works, development of necessary infrastructure, exchange of experience and opportunities for training of specialists.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS