BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 23. A seminar
titled “Albanian Heritage in Western Azerbaijan” was held today at
the initiative of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum (ANNF),
Trend’s correspondent reports from
the event.
The event was attended by representatives of civil society,
historians, archaeologists, and NGO leaders.
Zaur Ibrahimli, a member of the ANNF Board, provided information
on the objectives of the seminar and the participants.
He noted that the primary objective of the seminar was to
examine one of the significant and strategically important chapters
of history, namely the Albanian Christian heritage in Western
Azerbaijan. He emphasized that the heritage of Caucasian Albania
constitutes an integral part of Azerbaijan’s statehood,
ethnogenesis, and cultural memory. According to him, the Albanians,
described as an indigenous ethnic group of these territories and as
ancestors of the Azerbaijani people, developed a rich cultural
heritage over the course of centuries.
“We must note with regret that the process of systematically
appropriating and altering the historical interpretation of this
heritage began in 1836, when Tsarist Russia abolished the Albanian
Apostolic Church and placed it under the jurisdiction of the
Armenian Gregorian Church. Over the course of many years,
inscriptions on hundreds of Albanian monuments, including
Gipchagvang, Gulvang, and Goshavang, located in Goycha, Zangezur,
Daralayaz, and other historical territories, were erased, while
alterations were made to their architectural structures, and the
monuments were subsequently presented to the international
community as Armenian heritage.
As civil society institutions, we must contribute actively to
communicating these historical issues to the international
community on a scientific basis. Today's seminar serves the purpose
of safeguarding these scientific findings and contributing to the
preservation of tangible cultural heritage in Western Azerbaijan,”
he added.
Mahabbat Pashayeva, head of the UNEC Multiculturalism Research
Center and a leading researcher at the Azerbaijani National Academy
of Sciences (ANAS), delivered a presentation at the seminar. She
provided detailed information on Albanian Christian monuments,
including the Gipchagvang Monastery in the ancient village of
Gipchag, as well as Gulvang, Goshavang, and Tatev, and presented
scientific arguments concerning differences between the
architectural features of these monuments and Armenian religious
architecture.
The speaker noted that the Albanians were among the indigenous
ethnic groups that contributed to the ethnogenesis of the
Azerbaijani people and stated that this Christian heritage
constitutes part of the historical and cultural heritage of the
Azerbaijani nation.
The event also addressed the historical territories of
Azerbaijan currently located within Armenia, including Goycha,
Zangezur, Daralayaz, and Iravan, noting their longstanding cultural
and political links with Caucasian Albania.
During the seminar, detailed information was presented
concerning the alleged policies of cultural destruction and the
reinterpretation of Albanian heritage, accompanied by supporting
evidence. In particular, documentary evidence was presented
regarding the removal of archival materials, the erasure of stone
inscriptions, and the transformation of Albanian elements following
the 1836 decision of the Russian Synod to abolish the Albanian
Apostolic Church and place it under the jurisdiction of the
Armenian Gregorian Church. Participants were also informed of cases
including the removal of an ancient Albanian stele from the
Aghoghlan temple and alterations to the altar sections of monuments
during the years of occupation.
At the conclusion of the event, participants emphasized the
importance of preserving Albanian heritage in Western Azerbaijan,
promoting its objective recognition at the international level, and
ensuring opportunities for scholars to conduct scientific research
in these territories without impediment. The discussion also
addressed Azerbaijan’s international multiculturalism policy in
this context, including the significance of international
scientific conferences held at the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome.
The seminar concluded with an extensive exchange of views and a
question-and-answer session.
