The conference is dedicated to the human rights and the consequences of the ongoing conflict in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh in terms of the protection of the Armenian heritage. It is organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with the Protestant Church in Switzerland to promote a constructive dialogue on issues related to the protection of Armenian people and heritage in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh, as well as other such experiences in the world.
The program form the Armenian Heritage Conference is now being finalized. Key politicians and diplomats, religious leaders, cultural experts, and high-profile human rights advocates will deliver keynote speeches and/or participate in panel debates covering different aspects of the topic.
Among the confirmed speakers are His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; His Eminence Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York and the former secretary general of Religions for Peace International; and Prof. Dr. Azza Karam, CEO and founder of Lead Integrity and member of the United Nations secretary general’s High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism.
Other prominent speakers include:
Dr. Ali Akbar Ziaei, head of the Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue of the Organization for Culture and Islamic Relations of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Paula Yacoubian, Lebanese political activist and lawmaker of Armenian ethnic origin, and member of the Lebanese Parliament. Previously known as a journalist and a television host, and one of Lebanon’s most prominent television personalities.
Adama Dieng, UN special adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Registrar of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
Dr. Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. A former Pentagon official, Dr. Rubin specializes in Iran, Turkey, and the broader Middle East.
Dr. Luis Moreno Ocampo, professor in the Criminal Law Department and an Argentine lawyer who served as the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court from 2003 to 2012.
Garo Paylan, former member of the Turkish Parliament and a prominent human rights activist.
A complete program with all the speakers will soon be available on the WCC event page.
Media accreditation is mandatory for onsite access to daily media briefings, seminars, keynote addresses and other events during the conference. For those not able to attend onsite in Bern, media briefings can be followed online with the opportunity to ask questions directly to panels. Media accreditation is required for that as well. Please apply for accreditation by filling out the application form online.
More information about the Armenian Heritage Conference, as well as news releases and other information, can be found at the WCC Press Center.
You are also welcome to contact:
Marianne Ejdersten, WCC communication director, +41 79 507 63 63.
Claus Grue, WCC senior communication consultant, +46 70 611 09 77.
Dr. Theol. Stephan Jütte, Protestant Church of Switzerland, +41 31 370 25 24
