A panel session on “Restoration and Protection of Cultural Heritage” was held as part of the second international conference “The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia,” organized by the Western Azerbaijan Community in Baku.
The session was moderated by Ravan Hasanov, Executive Director of the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre.
In his remarks, Raymond Bondin, President of the National Maltese Commission for UNESCO, described heritage as a set of characteristics that define nations and noted that it can be exploited as a provocative tool by certain insidious forces. He also called for an end to the distortion of realities in the region, noting that Armenia had planted over 1 million landmines in Azerbaijani territories during the occupation, and that Azerbaijan is now working to revive these areas.
Bondin emphasized the importance of attracting international support for preserving historical and cultural heritage.
Other speakers included Shahid Ahmad Khan, Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts; Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Human and Social Sciences Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO); Aicha Bacha, Member of the European Development and Research Academy; Mohammed Wahib Hussein, Professor at the Faculty of Heritage at Jordan’s Hashemite University after Queen Rania; Nicoleta Zagura, Curator of the Rare Collections Department at the Bucharest Municipality and UNESCO expert.
The speakers stressed the importance of preserving cultural heritage, restoring historical monuments, and ensuring their legacy for future generations.
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