Tweet
UN AGENCY SLAMMED IN ARMENIAN KHACHKAR EXHIBIT CONTROVERSY
http://www.armenianow.com/news/30430/armenian_khachkar_exhibit_paris_unesco
News | 17.06.11 | 09:09
Armenian khachkar art on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage
of humanity
The French Bureau of Hay Dat has expressed its outrage over an incident
at a UNESCO exhibit in Paris where the organizing party had removed
the signs on photographs describing the original location of Armenian
khachkars (cross-stones).
The exhibit called Khachkar Craftsmanship opened in the capital
of France on June 15 as part of scientific conferences organized
by UNESCO.
Visitors, including some prominent members of the local Armenian
community, were embarrassed to see that information indicating the
place of origin and location of khachkars featured in photographs at
the display had been removed, with only dates remaining.
The organizers of the event had offered no explanation for the kind
of censorship that had prompted vigorous protests from Armenian
organizations of France and Switzerland against what they viewed as
an attempt to deny the cultural heritage of Armenia.
In particular, in its statement Hay Dat described the UN agency's
behavior as "civilized vandalism".
"The incident proves the involvement of Azerbaijan and Turkey. By
bowing down to political pressure, UNESCO has stained its good name,"
said Hay Dat's French Bureau, as reported by PanArmenian.net.
Last November UNESCO listed Armenian khachkars as "intangible cultural
heritage" amid Azerbaijan's claims that khachkars are "not Armenian".
From: A. Papazian
http://www.armenianow.com/news/30430/armenian_khachkar_exhibit_paris_unesco
News | 17.06.11 | 09:09
Armenian khachkar art on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage
of humanity
The French Bureau of Hay Dat has expressed its outrage over an incident
at a UNESCO exhibit in Paris where the organizing party had removed
the signs on photographs describing the original location of Armenian
khachkars (cross-stones).
The exhibit called Khachkar Craftsmanship opened in the capital
of France on June 15 as part of scientific conferences organized
by UNESCO.
Visitors, including some prominent members of the local Armenian
community, were embarrassed to see that information indicating the
place of origin and location of khachkars featured in photographs at
the display had been removed, with only dates remaining.
The organizers of the event had offered no explanation for the kind
of censorship that had prompted vigorous protests from Armenian
organizations of France and Switzerland against what they viewed as
an attempt to deny the cultural heritage of Armenia.
In particular, in its statement Hay Dat described the UN agency's
behavior as "civilized vandalism".
"The incident proves the involvement of Azerbaijan and Turkey. By
bowing down to political pressure, UNESCO has stained its good name,"
said Hay Dat's French Bureau, as reported by PanArmenian.net.
Last November UNESCO listed Armenian khachkars as "intangible cultural
heritage" amid Azerbaijan's claims that khachkars are "not Armenian".
From: A. Papazian