An Armenian Heritage Conference has closed with a statement urging coordinated international action to protect Armenian religious and cultural heritage, the human rights of its people, and the future security of the Armenian nation. The conference was hosted by World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with Protestant Church in Switzerland, in Bern, Switzerland on 27-28 May.
The conference statement outlines a framework of responsibility and response to the 2023 forced displacement of the Armenian population and the ongoing destruction of their sacred heritage.
“The conference is a response to the call of the Armenian Apostolic Church and organised by the World Council of Churches and the Protestant Church in Switzerland, who recognize the inextricable link between cultural heritage, identity, and justice,” reads the statement. “The gathering in Bern represents a collective commitment to truth-telling, memory preservation, and coordinated international action to safeguard humanity’s shared legacy.”
The statement acknowledges the the forced displacement of over 120,000 ethnic Armenians from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh following the September 2023 military assault and blockade. “We bear witness to the erasure of millennia of Armenian Christian presence in the region and to the widespread destruction of churches, cemeteries, monuments, and other sacred and cultural sites, as documented by independent bodies such as Caucasus Heritage Watch, Save Armenian Monuments, and Monument Watch and other cultural actors,” reads the text. “Drawing on the insights of international legal experts and practitioners, we reaffirm that the destruction of cultural heritage constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to a crime against humanity, and indicia of genocidal intent.”
The statement calls on the international community to ensure accountability and uphold their mandates for the protection of cultural and religious heritage.
“We also affirm the right of return of displaced populations to their ancestral lands under conditions of safety, dignity, and non-discrimination,” reads the text. “As churches and religious communities, we believe that protecting heritage is not only about monuments—it is about the living expression of faith, identity, and memory.”
Religious leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Yezidi traditions joined voices at the conference to affirm that preserving religious heritage is an expression of their shared humanity and a path toward reconciliation.
“We underline the role of interfaith collaboration in healing, rebuilding trust, and promoting the dignity of all people affected by displacement, war, and cultural cleansing,” reads the text, which calls for coordinated international action on many fronts. “Heritage, when protected, can be a source of reconciliation.”
The statement expresses gratitude to those who shared testimonies of displacement, courage, and resilience, particularly survivors and representatives of Armenian communities from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh.
“Let this statement serve as a testimony to our shared responsibility and as a living document of solidarity, conscience, and commitment,” concludes the statement. “The heritage of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh belongs not only to Armenians, but to the whole of humanity and it is our collective responsibility to protect it.”
