Media advisory
The conference is dedicated to addressing the consequences of the conflict in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh with regard to the protection of Armenian religious and cultural heritage, the human rights of its people, and the future security of the Armenian nation. It is organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with the Protestant Church in Switzerland.
An audience of around 150 people is expected, for a constructive dialogue on issues related to the protection of Armenian people and heritage in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh and the wider region, in light of similar experiences elsewhere.
Since the 2020 war, thousands of civilians and military personnel have been killed or wounded, and in September 2023, about 120,000 ethnic Armenians were forced to leave their ancestral homeland. The international community has an important role to play in ensuring the preservation of Armenian religious and cultural heritage, to care for those displaced, to protect their right to return to their land, and to guard against further conflict in the region.
Experts on international law and human rights, historians, politicians, representatives from international and nongovernmental organizations, and church leaders will gather in Bern to discuss the protection of the rich Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh and raise the issue of the Armenians’ rights and future security.
Media accreditation is mandatory for onsite access to daily media briefings, seminars, keynote addresses, and other events during the conference. For those not able to attend onsite in Bern, media briefings can be followed online with the opportunity to ask questions directly to panels. Media accreditation is required for that as well. Please apply for accreditation by filling out the application form online.
A detailed programme of the conference will soon be available and published on the WCC event site.
More information about the Armenian Heritage Conference, as well as news releases and other information, can be found at the WCC Press Centre.
For further questions and inquiries, please email: [email protected].
You are also welcome to contact:
Marianne Ejdersten, WCC communication director, +41 79 507 63 63.
Claus Grue, WCC senior communication consultant, +46 70 611 09 77.
Dr Stephan Jütte, Protestant Church in Switzerland, +41 31 370 25 24.
Looking forward to receiving your application and seeing you in Bern, or online!
