Museum of Bible launching online exhibit on Karabakh sacred sitesJune 23, 2021 - 12:52 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Museum of the Bible is launching a new online exhibition documenting the sacred sites of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) on Thursday, June 24, according to information published by the museum. "Ancient Faith: The Churches of Nagorno-Karabakh" explores the histories of remarkable sites, now threatened by cultural erasure, and introduces some of the people who live and worship there. The launch of the exhibition includes a virtual panel discussion consisting of esteemed scholars, preservation experts, and church representatives. Topics of discussion will encompass the church sites and architecture, the risks they currently face, and the need to preserve these irreplaceable churches and this material culture. Amid the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, concerns about the preservation of cultural sites are made all the more urgent by the Azerbaijani government’s history of systemically destroying indigenous Armenian heritage—acts of both warfare and historical revisionism. The Azerbaijani government has secretly destroyed a striking number of cultural and religious artifacts in the late 20th century. Within Nakhichevan alone, a historically Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani forces destroyed at least 89 medieval churches, 5,840 khachkars (Armenian cross stones) and 22,000 historical tombstones between 1997 and 2006. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |