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In cooperation with several Armenian organizations across Europe, notably the Initiative Munk Germany and the Armenian Apostolic Church of Belgium, the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) on Monday co-organized an Evening of Remembrance and Hope at the Sainte Marie Madeleine Armenian Apostolic Church in Brussels on 13 September. The event marked the one-year anniversary of the complete ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.

For the first time in two millennia, no Armenians remain in Artsakh – their ancestral homeland. The evening brought together Belgian politicians, public figures, journalists, religious leaders, and members of the Armenian community to commemorate the anniversary and the profound cultural and religious loss that has occurred, EAFJD reported.

The gathering served to raise awareness about the urgent need to protect the endangered Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh as well as the humanitarian tragedy that continues to affect the Armenian nation. The event was honored by the presence of His Eminence, Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh, who delivered a firsthand account of the forced displacement of the Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh and the ongoing threat to Artsakh’s cultural and religious heritage, which includes around 5,000 monuments.

The Primate’s speech was followed by musical performances featuring Lorance Anahid Mekhitarian on piano, Vardan Hovhannesyan on the Armenian duduk, and an opera performance by Maria Abajan-Schaber.

Commenting on the event, EAFJD President Kaspar Karampetian stated: “The forced depopulation of Artsakh is a wound in the heart of every Armenian and a violation of basic human rights that must not be ignored by the global community. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the world keeps the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh on the agenda, and that the rights of its people, notably the right to collective return, are restored. These cultural events are vital to both commemorate our loss and inform the public about the necessity of taking action to protect the inalienable rights of the Armenian people of Artsakh, as well as its endangered cultural heritage and identity.”