Safeguarding faith and memory: A global call to protect Armenian heritage in Artsakh
In late May 2025, the Armenian Heritage Conference convened in Bern, Switzerland, bringing together religious leaders, legal experts, historians and human rights advocates from around the globe. Organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with the Protestant Church in Switzerland, the conference responded to an urgent call from the Armenian Apostolic Church to protect the endangered religious and cultural heritage of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) following the 2023 displacement of over 120,000 ethnic Armenians.
The conference underscored the profound loss of sacred sites—including centuries-old churches, monasteries and cemeteries—amid ongoing conflict and occupation. Participants emphasized that these sites are not merely historical monuments but living embodiments of faith, memory and identity. Their destruction constitutes not only a cultural tragedy but also a violation of international humanitarian law, potentially amounting to crimes against humanity and an indication of genocidal intent.
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, lamented the desecration of Armenian churches and sacred sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions, calling for concerted efforts to prevent further appropriation and destruction. He highlighted the violations of religious freedom and fundamental human rights occurring in the region.
In its final statement, the conference called for coordinated international action to safeguard Armenian religious and cultural heritage, uphold the human rights of displaced populations and ensure the future security of the Armenian nation. Key recommendations included:
- Deploying independent monitoring missions to assess the condition of Armenian cultural sites;
- Taking diplomatic and legal measures to halt cultural erasure;
- Supporting the right of return for displaced Armenians under conditions of safety and dignity;
- Organizing ecumenical pilgrimages to Armenian holy sites in Artsakh.
The Armenian Apostolic Church played a pivotal role in facilitating this effort. With the blessing of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, representatives from the Holy See of Cilicia actively participated in the conference, emphasizing the Church’s commitment to preserving Armenian heritage and advocating for the rights of displaced communities.
The conference also highlighted the importance of interfaith collaboration in healing, rebuilding trust and promoting the dignity of all people affected by displacement, war and cultural cleansing. Religious leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Yezidi traditions joined together “to affirm that preserving religious heritage is an expression of shared humanity and a path toward reconciliation.”
By uniting diverse voices and fostering meaningful dialogue, the Armenian Heritage Conference served as a catalyst for global action to protect a vulnerable cultural legacy. It reaffirmed that safeguarding heritage is not solely about preserving the past—it is also about ensuring justice, identity and peace for future generations.
Ara Nazarian, PhD
Azerbaijan has hermetically sealed Artsakh from the outside world and even from most Azerbaijani citizens, precisely for this reason – so they can destroy every Armenian church, cemetery and artifact away from “prying eyes” in secret. Only satellite photos of this Armenian cultural genocide, “spoil” the Azerbaijani regime’s dastardly secret operation. Since nearly two years have passed after Azerbaijan’s violent takeover of Artsakh, the vast majority of Armenian heritage must have already been destroyed. The desctructions which were detected by satellite photos, are very likely a drop in the ocean, because many more such destructions have yet to be detected.
When the ethnic cleansing of all Armenians from Artsakh and the wholescale destruction of everything Armenian in Artsakh, was the long-term goal of Azerbaijan and which it “accomplished”, it is mindboggling that people still believe and entertain the idea, that this genocidal dictatorship will somehow allow Armenians to return to Artsakh and live under Azerbaijani jurisdiction(!), allow pilgrimages and visits to Artsakh, allow independent monitoring missions to assess the condition of Armenian cultural sites. Azerbaijan’s mindset is no different than Nazi Germany’s. Artsakh has tragically gone the way of Nakhichevan and Western Armenia.