The presentation of the book on the cultural heritage of Artsakh in Berlin was cancelled. reason: "mass campaign against event and risk of escalation"

The publishing house of the University of Kiel in Germany published "The cultural heritage of Artsakh. the collection entitled "Armenian history and its traces in Nagorno-Karabakh" (editors: Andreas Müller, Harutyun Harutyunyan, Dagmar Heller and Martin Tamke), the presentation of which was supposed to take place on March 6 of this year in Berlin.

Monumentwatch.org, the monitoring site of Artsakh's cultural heritage, writes that attempts to disrupt the presentation on almost all Azerbaijani telegram channels, unfortunately, succeeded.

"One day before the scheduled date, on March 5, the organizers, the German Council for Foreign Affairs (DGAP) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), canceled the event and held it remotely. The reason is stated as "a mass campaign against the event and risk of escalation". It is not mentioned who exactly organized and carried out the "mass campaign to cancel the book presentation".

Editors Andreas Müller, Harutyun Harutyunyan, Dagmar Heller and Martin Tamke issued a statement on March 11, which specifically states: "On March 6, 2024, the German Foreign Policy Council (DGAP) together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) planned to hold the "Cultural Heritage of Artsakh" edited by us. the presentation of the Armenian history and its traces in Nagorno-Karabakh" volume. The purpose of the event was to present the book within the framework of a scientific symposium and draw attention to the endangered Armenian cultural heritage due to the emigration of Armenians from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh and the occupation of the region by Azerbaijan. Such a danger is seen especially in light of the destructive cultural policies of the Azerbaijani government in Nakhichevan, where Armenian cultural values, churches, monasteries, village structures and even UNESCO World Heritage sites have been destroyed.

Due to massive pressure from the Azerbaijani Embassy and Azerbaijani NGOs, the event was canceled and held in a digital format. The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany urged the German Foreign Policy Council and the "Konrad Adenauer" Foundation to refrain from holding allegedly biased events. This demand was accompanied by personal threatening letters. Furthermore, a mass mailing campaign was launched, probably organized by the embassy, using similar texts. In addition, it was announced that a pro-Azerbaijani demonstration will take place in the immediate vicinity of the venue in Berlin.

As the editors of the book, we are deeply concerned about the cancellation of a public scientific event in a liberal-democratic country and the threats it poses. We find it insulting and unjustified to be labeled "Islamophobic" in the program of such a symposium which focuses on the protection of cultural heritage. We are disappointed by the lack of willingness on the part of the state authorities to adequately protect the concerns of the minorities and the important event for the preservation of their cultural heritage.

We protest against the actions of the Embassy of Azerbaijan and call on the structures responsible for the foreign relations of the Federal Republic of Germany to make a political statement. We call on the free press of our country to highlight and document the attempts of a foreign sovereign state to restrict freedom of speech. In general, we call on the Federal Republic of Germany and the international community to intervene immediately, despite all obstacles, to protect the endangered cultural heritage in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh.

Kiel, March 11, 2024.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Müller, Kiel

Prof. Dr. Martin Tamchke, Göngen

Professor Harutyun Harutyunyan, Yerevan

Professor Dagmar Heller, Bensheim"

Thanks to Professor Tessa Hoffman for providing the materials," the website states.