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The publication is one of the outcomes of the Armenian Heritage Conference, held in Bern, Switzerland, 27–28 May 2025. The conference was organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with the Protestant Church in Switzerland, following a request from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. It responded to the forced displacement of the Armenian population from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh and the grave threats facing Armenian cultural and religious heritage in the region.
For decades, the WCC and its partners have accompanied the Armenian people and churches in advocating for accountability, human dignity, and a future grounded in justice and peace.
The Bern conference brought together approximately 150 participants, including experts in international law and human rights, historians, representatives of international and non-governmental organizations, faith leaders, policymakers, and journalists.
The publication compiles conference papers, expert analyses, and reflections, situating the Armenian experience within a wider global context. It is intended as a resource for churches, policymakers, academic institutions, and civil society actors engaged in the protection of cultural and religious heritage, the defense of human rights, and efforts toward reconciliation and sustainable peace. The publication has been prepared under the leadership of the Armenian churches.
The official launch will take place during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The evening will begin with an ecumenical prayer service at the St Macabean Chapel of St Peter’s Cathedral in Geneva, followed by the book launch at the International Museum of Reformation.
