UNESCO official exposes misconceptions about Azerbaijan, urges global action on Karabakh heritage

Raymond Bondin, President of the National Maltese Commission for UNESCO, expressed concern about the widespread prejudices and misconceptions regarding Azerbaijan in the international arena.

He emphasized the need to address these misconceptions by presenting the real situation in Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Bondin shared his views during the panel session on “Restoration and Protection of Cultural Heritage” which was held as part of the second international conference “The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia,” organized by the Community of Western Azerbaijan.

He highlighted that heritage is the wealth that defines a nation, and sometimes certain forces may manipulate it for provocative purposes. For instance, he pointed out that Armenians destroyed a church in Shusha during their occupation of the city but later falsely attributed the destruction to Azerbaijanis. Furthermore, they claimed that Azerbaijan altered the city's appearance, despite the fact that its appearance remained unchanged.

Bondin also emphasized that Armenians had used mosques in the occupied Azerbaijani territories as stables during the occupation. In addition, he raised concerns about the landmine problem in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.

The UNESCO official stressed the importance of involving international organizations in the preservation of historical and cultural heritage in Karabakh. Bondin pointed out that the region contains two caves with immense historical significance. He underscored that this heritage is not just important for Azerbaijan, but for all of humanity.

By Vafa Gullyeva