"The official theme of this year's International Museum Day is 'Museums unite a divided world.' However, this unifying mission can be fully realized only when the international community practically reacts to the situations where the cultural heritage is under the threat of systematic destruction and complete loss, as is currently the case in Artsakh," says Hovik Avanesov, Artsakh's cultural heritage ombudsman, vice president of "Azkayin" historical and cultural NGO.
Every year on May 18, the world celebrates the International Day of Museums as an important international platform, the purpose of which is to emphasize the role of museums in the educational, scientific and cultural development processes of societies, as well as in the preservation, study and popularization of the cultural heritage of mankind.
This initiative was approved on May 18, 1977, during the 11th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and since 1978 it has been celebrated in more than 150 countries of the world, including Armenia. Avanseov writes..
"The situation in the occupied Artsakh is a matter of particular concern, where as a result of the state policy implemented by Azerbaijan, the entire cultural heritage of Artsakh is under a real and continuous threat of complete and systematic destruction, distortion and appropriation. These processes threaten irreplaceable values of not only Armenian but also world cultural heritage.
Artsakh, with a history of thousands of years and one of the most important centers of world civilization, has actively participated in the International Day of Museums for many years, organizing exhibitions, conferences, educational and cultural programs, the purpose of which was to present the unique historical and cultural heritage of the region.
Artsakh museums and cultural institutions were not only centers of memory preservation, but also key pillars of scientific studies and preservation of cultural identity. After the events of 2023, about 30 state and private museums and collections of Artsakh, with their unique archaeological, historical, ethnographic and artistic samples, appeared under the conditions of ontological threat.
Today, they are deprived of their normal activities, and their collections are at high risk of complete destruction, dismantling, counterfeiting and targeted appropriation.
The cultural heritage of Artsakh, which has not only national, but also universal value, is subject to a systematic policy, the purpose of which is the distortion of historical memory, the erasure of cultural identity, and the attribution or physical destruction of historical-architectural values. This situation requires more consistent and targeted attention of the international community as an urgent issue of cultural heritage protection.
Under these conditions, the International Day of Museums should be considered not only as a symbolic holiday, but also as a day of responsibility for the international community, aimed at the protection of cultural heritage, raising awareness of dangers and promoting preventive actions.
2026 is a jubilee year for the International Council of Museums (ICOM). the organization is celebrating its 80th anniversary, having united the world museum community for eight decades and contributing to the preservation and development of cultural heritage.
