Interview
The conference addressed the consequences of the conflict, including the forced displacement of Armenians and the destruction of their heritage.
During the conference, Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC, and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum, spoke on historic and political perspectives.
An expert in Middle Eastern affairs, Rubin has held academic and advisory roles across a diverse range of institutions.
In a video interview, Rubin addressed, from a geopolitical perspective, the threats facing Armenian heritage.
This has never been solely about a land dispute—it’s about ideology, and if we don't confront this head-on then we risk actually having the continuation of the Armenian genocide,” he said. “It’s so important to confront this now because if we allow the destruction of cultural heritage, what you're basically doing is green-lighting further aggression for decades and generations to come.”
Rubin also addressed the applicability of international law.
“Ultimately I think that the forces of religious freedom and of Armenian democracy and justice are going to prevail even if the short term things look dark,” he says.
Final statement of the Armenian Heritage Conference
More WCC video interviews from the Armenian Heritage Conference
