August 9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
This day reminds the world that every indigenous people has the inalienable right to live on their historical land and to preserve their cultural identity.
The Armenian people of Artsakh, as the indigenous population of the region, were forcibly deprived of their homeland as a result of Azerbaijan’s decades-long, systematic policy. This policy includes not only the displacement of the populationbut also the deliberate destruction and appropriation of its centuries-old cultural heritage.
Today, in place of Artsakh’s towns, villages, and sacred sites, the Azerbaijani authorities are erasing everything that bears witness to the Armenian presence. Churches, khachkars (cross-stones), monuments, and museum collections — all are under the threat of irreversible loss.
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These actions openly contradict the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and the values proclaimed by UNESCO. The international community must give a clear and resolute assessment — not only to stop the continuation of cultural genocide, but also to guarantee the realization of the right of the people of Artsakh to a safe and dignified return.
In the photo: a young child from Artsakh holding the flag of the Republic of Artsakh. In his gaze, there is the certainty that his home, his city, and his land will once again become part of his childhood and his future.
Artsakh ministry of culture
