The national conference on the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage took place on December 11-12 in Karabakh under the title “Shusha – Cultural Capital.” Organized by the “INALCO” Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations of France, the conference marked the fifth anniversary of the “Memory Museum” project and was held in collaboration with the “INALCO” Foundation, the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), and the “Gallust Gyulbenkyan” Foundation. The event was attended by notable figures such as Pierre Izore, the President of the Senate of France, Hasmik Tolmajian, the Ambassador of Armenia to France, and representatives from ALIPH and the “Gallust Gyulbenkyan” Foundation.

In his speech, Pierre Izore emphasized the significance of preserving Armenian cultural heritage and expressed gratitude to the “INALCO” Institute, ALIPH, and the “Gallust Gyulbenkyan” Foundation for their contributions to the program’s implementation.

During the conference, Ana Leiloian-Ekmalyan, the initiator of the “Memory Museum” project, introduced an academic platform focused on collecting scientific information from experts, archaeologists, art historians, and translators involved in the study and preservation of Armenian cultural heritage. The program’s main objective is to uncover, map, and document endangered Armenian cultural heritage sites and monuments, particularly in Shusha and Artsakh, while also addressing the ongoing destruction and looting of Armenian cultural heritage by Azerbaijan in recent decades.

Various reports were presented during the conference by Anna Leyloyan-Ekmalyan, the principal investigator of the “Memory Museum” project. The topics covered included “The Protection of Cultural and Religious Heritage of Shushi and Artsakh,” “The Urban and Architectural Heritage of Shushi as a Cultural and Spiritual Center of Artsakh,” “The Historical and Cultural Heritage of Shushi as a Monument of Islamic Architecture,” and “The Educational and Cultural Center of Shushi in the Context of Artsakh’s Cultural Heritage and the Implementation of the Surb Ejmiatsin Project”.

The primary goal of the program is to establish an academically credible database with historical and artistic information, as well as document the heritage of endangered Armenian cultural sites and monuments, including the “Immovable Register”.

Source: News from Armenia – NEWS.am