International Workshop on Armenian Cultural Heritage in Tsaghkunk, Armenia

From 26th to 28th October 2023, an International Workshop on Armenian Cultural Heritage took place in Tsaghkunk, Armenia, organized by the Armenian Studies Division of the Center for the Study of the Christian East at the University of Salzburg and the Department of Cultural Studies at Yerevan State University, co-organized by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography at the RA Academy of Sciences (Yerevan), the DAR Foundation and Blue Shield Austria.
 
The workshop aimed to discuss the identification, documentation, and treatment of cultural heritage in Armenia, with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches, especially in the face of armed conflicts and targeted destruction of cultural assets. Participants had the opportunity to engage in discussions on various theoretical approaches from different academic disciplines and to adapt them to the complex situation in Armenia. 

A highlight of the workshop was the field experience day during which participants visited selected cultural heritage sites in the Gegharkunik province gaining firsthand insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with the preservation of cultural assets in the region. The involvement of the Gagarin Project, dedicated to the protection and development of cultural heritage in Gegharkunik, provided a practical context for addressing specific experiences.

Output of the International Workshop on Armenian Cultural Heritage is „The Tsaghkunk Declaration on Armenian Cultural Heritage Identification, Documentation and Handling (Management) (2023)“ concluding in the call for a revised concept of Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Armenia.