Baku:A seminar focusing on 'Albanian Heritage in Western Azerbaijan' was recently organized by the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum (AMQF), attracting public representatives, historians, archaeologists, and NGO leaders.

According to Azeri-Press news agency, Zaur Ibrahimli, a member of the AMQF Board, explained that the seminar aimed to illuminate the significant history of Albanian Christian heritage in Western Azerbaijan. He described the heritage of Caucasian Albania as a crucial part of Azerbaijani statehood and cultural memory. Ibrahimli highlighted that the abolition of the Albanian Apostolic Church in 1836 by Tsarist Russia led to the misappropriation of this heritage by the Armenian Gregorian Church, altering and presenting Albanian historical sites as Armenian.

At the event, Mahabbat Pashayeva, head of the UNEC Multiculturalism Research Center, presented on the distinct architectural style of Albanian Christian monuments such as Kipchakvank, Gulvank, and Goshavank. Pashayeva supported her claims with scientific evidence that these styles differ from Armenian religious architecture and emphasized that Albanians were integral to the Azerbaijani ethnogenesis.

The seminar also addressed the historical misrepresentation and vandalism of Albanian heritage, with discussions on evidence of looted archives, erased inscriptions, and architectural alterations. Visual documents revealed the systematic Gregorianization following the 1836 church subordination. The event underscored the need for international recognition of the Albanian heritage and the importance of allowing scholarly research in these areas.

The seminar concluded with discussions and a question-and-answer session, stressing the significance of Azerbaijan's multicultural policies and international scientific cooperation, such as conferences at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.