Exhibitions in Stepanakert museums remind local residents of lost heritage

On the International Museum Day, exhibitions and lectures were held in Nagorno-Karabakh on the cultural heritage. The Shushi State Museum of Fine Arts presented an exhibition of 90 paintings that Armenia managed to preserve after the last autumn war. The problem of preserving the cultural heritage is especially acute today, visitors of the exhibitions have stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 17, protesters in Stepanakert demanded to protect the Armenian monuments and memorials.

According to Gayane Atanesyan-Grigoryan, the Deputy Minister of Education, Sciences, Culture and Sports of Nagorno-Karabakh, videos and photos of the destruction and desecration of Armenian monuments are posted in social networks. Thus, stones-crosses are destroyed; the "Kanach Zham" in Shushi has been ruined; the "reconstruction" of the "Kazanchetsots" temple is underway, and Armenian inscriptions are being erased from historical monuments, Ms Deputy Minister has stated.

It was not possible to take out the exhibits, because "during the war, events developed rapidly; and missile attacks raged in around the clock."

The Shushi Regional Museum has opened a photo exhibition "Historical Monuments of the City of Shushi". Now they are trying to erase the Armenian traces in Shushi, but photographs of the early 20th century have remained as evidence, said Ashot Arutyunyan, the museum director.

Culture remains a priority, despite the post-war period and many social problems, Arthur Nersisyan, a visitor to the exhibition at the Stepanakert Art Gallery, has noted.