Yerevan, December 24, 2025—A second volume of the trilingual photo book, Artsakh: Endangered Heritage, was presented, on the initiative of the Yerevan Office of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, at the hall of the Artsakh Representative Office here.
The two volumes, published in Armenian, English, and Russian, present the cultural heritage of Artsakh, which is currently subject to genocide by Azerbaijan. Following the 44-Day War in Artsakh, the Hamazkayin offices of Armenia and Artsakh initiated this important publication with the goal of focusing international attention on the endangered Armenian cultural footprint in Artsakh.
Artsakh: Endangered Heritage was compiled by Raffi Kortoshian, director of the Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) foundation. It is based on evidence and professional research. It aims to provide documented counterarguments to Azerbaijan’s denialist propaganda.
Ruzan Arakelyan, director of the Hamazkayin Yerevan Office, said, “Perhaps in the past, we did not sufficiently counter Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian propaganda while they spent years trying to convince the world that there is no Armenian trace in Artsakh. But today, we cannot afford to fail in this matter. Numerous ancient churches and historical monuments in Artsakh are being destroyed. Azerbaijan continues to carry out a new genocide before the eyes of the civilized world. No one rebukes or restrains them. This photo book is perhaps a small but vital step in countering our neighbors' ambitions and showcasing our cultural values to the world."
Armen Rustamyan, representative of the Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, advocated for the collective return of the people of Artsakh and the preservation of the land’s Armenian heritage. He emphasized that the publication and distribution of these volumes and others like it are more important now than ever for evidence-based engagement with the international community.
"Unlike the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia, who believe the Artsakh issue is closed, we emphasize that this is not the case. The reality of cultural genocide in Artsakh proves once again that the conflict exists and remains unresolved. As long as there is an issue of heritage preservation, we are obligated to continuously voice and pursue it on high international platforms. The Armenian National Committees and their affiliate organizations, including Hamazkayin, serve this purpose," Rustamyan stated.
Additional remarks were delivered by Professor Vahram Balayan, a historian; the author Raffi Kortoshian, Academician Ashot Melkonyan; Hamazkayin Central Executive Board member Artashes Shahbazyan; Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Defender of Artsakh; and Haykazun Alvrtsyan, a philologist.
At the conclusion of the event, Ms. Arakelyan thanked the Central Executive Board of Hamazkayin and all the sponsors who made the publication of both volumes possible. She also expressed her gratitude to the Artsakh Representative Office, noting that cooperation with the office will be ongoing.
