The Issue of Preserving Armenian Cultural Heritage Raised in China

The second meeting of the Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance (ACHA) Council took place in Qingdao, People's Republic of China. The Armenian delegation, led by Harutyun Vanyan, the head of the Department of Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, participated in the meeting as a founding country of ACHA.

According to the Ministry, the agenda addressed issues related to the preservation of cultural heritage, strengthening cooperation in the field of monument restoration, discussing the progress of programs undertaken by ACHA, and presenting a new grant model, among other topics.

In his speech, Harutyun Vanyan emphasized the importance of the activities of the Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance and reaffirmed the willingness of the Republic of Armenia to actively engage in the upcoming tasks of the Alliance and to collaborate on both bilateral and multilateral program implementations.

The representative of the Ministry drew the attention of participating countries to the ongoing destruction, distortion of identity, and appropriation of Armenian cultural heritage, which has a millennia-old history. He highlighted the need to strengthen international mechanisms for the protection of cultural heritage, including enhancing the capabilities of UNESCO. In this context, he also underscored the significance of the full and effective implementation of UNESCO's 1954 Hague Convention.

Harutyun Vanyan also referred to the millennial historical and cultural ties between Armenia and China, highly appreciating the collaboration in the field of culture between the two countries, which holds great potential for cooperation in the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage. The effective experience of cooperation between Armenia and China on international platforms, including within UNESCO and the Forum of Ancient Civilizations, was also emphasized.