Azerbaijan, which destroys monuments, urges UNESCO to `save` Kond - Statement

ArmInfo. In line with its aggressive and expansionist anti-Armenian agenda, Azerbaijan continues to spread false information and propaganda. For years, dedicating considerable effort and resources, Baku has sought to portray the over 2800-year-old city of Yerevan as "Azerbaijani.

"This is stated in a statement by the Geghard Scientific and Analytical Foundation, published due to the fact that recently Azerbaijan, this time on behalf of public organizations, again appealed to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay 'to preserve' Kond.

"Another target of Azerbaijan is Yerevan's ancient Kond district. Named Kond because of its elevated position, it was later renamed "Tapabash" (head of the hill) during Persian rule. A prominent ancient monument in this district is the Church of St. Hovhannes the Baptist, founded in the 7th century.  This church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1679 and subsequently restored in 1710. Azerbaijanis refer to the Kond district by the modified name "Tapabashi." Such propaganda efforts in Azerbaijan are not unprecedented.

On July 7, 2022, Azerbaijani "cultural and public figures" appealed to Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), urging her to prevent the "destruction of Azerbaijani historical and cultural heritage" in Yerevan.

On May 7, 2024, Azerbaijan, this time on behalf of non-governmental organizations, appealed to the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, calling for the preservation of Kond. Among the signatories were organizations such as the so-called "Community of Western Azerbaijan," "Cultural Heritage Propaganda of Yerevan," "Zangezur Union," and other NGOs, whose names clearly reflect their agenda and objectives.

Apart from the fact that Kond is not Azerbaijani, this statement is ironic given Azerbaijan's ongoing policy of deliberately targeting and destroying Armenian historical and cultural heritage in Nakhijevan, Artsakh, and other areas which is documented.

Moreover, in the statement, Azerbaijan also "declares readiness for dialogue and interaction with UNESCO in order to prevent the destruction of Azerbaijani cultural heritage" in Armenia, and calls for "sending a fact-finding mission to Yerevan." Such a call is ironic, given UNESCO's readiness to create an independent technical mission in 2020 to assess the status of cultural values in Artsakh. However, Azerbaijan has blocked the mission's entry into Artsakh, challenging international structures and their activities, and highlighting its attempts to cover up the facts confirming the destruction of Armenian heritage in Artsakh.

Thus, the "Azerbaijanization" campaign of Yerevan's Kond district is a clear manifestation of Azerbaijan's broader political agenda, aimed at distorting history and asserting its territorial ambitions over Armenia. With the international community failing to take appropriate steps, the destruction of Armenian historical and cultural values has reached alarming proportions. Currently, at least 1456 Armenian historical and cultural monuments are under Azerbaijan's control in occupied Artsakh, " the statement reads. 

Notably, the Kond reconstruction project was once developed by the Yerevan Project Institute and the mayor's office of the French city of Lyon.   Back in 2021, the RA Urban Development Committee announced an international open architectural and urban planning tender for the construction of the Kond district in Yerevan.   This competition was the third attempt to attract investors to implement the project. As part of the project, it was proposed to form a professional working group with the participation of architects, builders, economists, sociologists, lawyers, representatives of public organizations and the media, as well as artists, sculptors, ethnographers, and historians.   Along the perimeter of the rectangular garden, it was planned to restore the preserved 2-3-story ancient buildings, use Armenian cuisine for restaurants, cafes, tea houses, attractions, games, art clubs, etc.  In the park, artists would be able to exhibit their paintings, which would correspond to the French Montmartre.  Last November, Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan announced that the project for the reconstruction of the capital's Kond district, which has great historical and cultural value, has entered the stage of practical implementation.