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.