Baku: The second panel meeting on the protection of tangible heritage, moderated by UK expert Klaus Peter Ralf Jurgens, was held on the sidelines of the 3rd international conference organized by the Western Azerbaijan Community on the theme ‘Cultural Heritage and the Right to Return: Restoring the Cultural Heritage of Azerbaijanis Displaced from Armenia – as a Path to Justice, Reconciliation and Peace.’ During the panel, Muhammad Sohail Sajid, lawyer at the Supreme Court of Pakistan; Carlo Marino, Vice-President of the Italy-Azerbaijan Association; Astrid Nadya Rizqita, President of OIC Youth Indonesia; and American professor Michael Martin Gunter shared their views on the legal assessment of the destruction carried out against the cultural heritage of Azerbaijanis in Armenia and the possibilities for its restoration.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the discussions emphasized the importance of addressing the damage to cultural heritage sites and exploring legal avenues for restoration. The panelists discussed the various international legal frameworks that could be leveraged to seek justice and facilitate the return of displaced Azerbaijanis to their ancestral lands. They highlighted the need for collaborative efforts between nations and international organizations to ensure the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage.
Klaus Peter Ralf Jurgens, the UK expert moderating the panel, underscored the significance of such dialogues in fostering reconciliation and peace. The conference aimed to bring attention to the cultural losses suffered by Azerbaijanis and the need for a concerted effort to rebuild and restore historical sites as a step towards healing and reconciliation. The event brought together experts from diverse fields to share insights and propose strategies to tackle the challenges associated with cultural heritage restoration in conflict-affected regions.