RA Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan gave a speech at the Forum of Ancient Civilizations Ministerial Meeting.
"It is a great honor to welcome you to the Forum of Ancient Civilizations Ministerial Meeting. On behalf of the Republic of Armenia and as the chairman of this critical meeting, I would like to extend my warmest greetings to you as representatives of the cradles of human history, culture, and heritage.
I want to begin with a moment of silence in memory of the previous president of this Forum, our esteemed colleague and friend, former Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in May this year, along with President Ebrahim Raisi and members of their accompanying delegation.
Armenia values this Forum as an important platform for intercultural dialogue and cooperation between ancient civilizations. In our shared commitment to protecting and promoting ancient heritage, we foster a culture of peace and nonviolence.
The world faces unprecedented challenges, such as increasing targeting of heritage and cultural diversity and denial of historical identities and roots. False cultural narratives are used as weapons to justify territorial claims and fuel conflicts, undermining the security, stability, socio-economic and cultural development of affected states. In the face of these threats, we must strengthen existing institutions to preserve cultural heritage.
In this regard, Armenia emphasizes the central role of UNESCO as the leading agency of the United Nations in protecting cultural heritage and promoting culture as a powerful tool for promoting dialogue and peace, rejecting violence. This effort is essential to strengthen UNESCO's capacity, increase expertise, and improve monitoring tools. We also recognize the critical role of other key stakeholders, such as the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, in promoting a culture of peace and combating xenophobia and intolerance;
Together with these institutions, the Ancient Civilizations Forum has significant potential to address our challenges by promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue, respect for cultural diversity, inclusiveness in fostering peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights. We are convinced that the Forum can be even more critical in responding to global challenges.
Armenia is considering strengthening the Forum of Ancient Civilizations' capacity to increase its visibility and influence on international platforms. By making the voices of the Forum and its member countries heard, we can achieve more coordinated and practical cooperation to advance our common goals.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in Time of Armed Conflict. This significant milestone provides an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the fundamental principles that guide our actions in preserving cultural heritage in conflict and post-conflict periods. Armenia considers this Convention one of the primary international documents for the protection of cultural heritage and remains fully committed to its comprehensive implementation.
Armenia, in cooperation with UNESCO, will hold an expert meeting in Yerevan this year on October 28-29 to celebrate this important anniversary. The conference will focus on the potential of new and emerging technologies to address the complex challenges of cultural heritage conservation. We warmly invite the forum member states to encourage their leading experts to participate in the Yerevan meeting, where they can share experiences and collaborate on innovative projects.
Unfortunately, Armenia has not been spared the consequences of the current overthrow of the world order, facing growing intolerance, xenophobia, and the destruction of cultural heritage.
After the ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian cultural heritage with a history of thousands of years is under threat of elimination. In this regard, Armenia strongly supports the immediate dispatch of an independent UNESCO expert mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to assess, document, and protect endangered Armenian cultural heritage.
The deliberate and systematic destruction, desecration, and misappropriation of Armenian cultural and religious sites and artifacts is a direct violation of the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice, which obliged Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to prevent and punish all cases of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage including churches and other religious structures, monuments, landmarks, cemeteries, and artifacts.
We believe that through our shared commitment, we can transcend political and geographic boundaries and build bridges of understanding that counter the forces of division and conflict. By highlighting our shared cultural achievements and preserving the unique contributions of each civilization, we can help create a world where diversity is valued, and historical memory is respected.
In conclusion, I would like to invite you to the 8th meeting of the Forum of Ancient Civilizations, which will be held on December 18, 2024, in Armenia. I wish everyone a productive session to advance the goals of the Ancient Civilizations Forum."
