A working group has been established within the Western Azerbaijan Community to study the Albanian Christian heritage located in the territory of the present-day Republic of Armenia, in the historical regions of Zangezur, Daralayaz, and the Lake Goycha basin, the Community told APA.
The group was established to scientifically investigate the history, architectural and epigraphic features, and attribution of churches, chapels, khachkars (cross-stones), and monasteries based on archival documents and other primary sources:
"There is a widespread belief in Azerbaijani academic circles that the documents of the Albanian Catholicosate from the 16th to 19th centuries have been completely destroyed. The losses are undeniable, but numerous documents and sources concerning both the Albanian catholicoi and the religious and social history of the period have been preserved in archives and manuscript collections in several countries, and some have already been published. These materials are scattered across various collections. The main mission of the Working Group is to identify them through systematic searches and compile them into a unified scientific database. The Western Azerbaijan Community currently possesses hundreds of documents on this subject.
The visit of foreign diplomats to the Ganjasar Monastery complex in September 2026 demonstrated that cultural heritage has entered the diplomatic agenda. The Western Azerbaijan Community considers the multilayered religious and cultural heritage in the territory of present-day Armenia, including the medieval monuments of Caucasian Albania, to be part of its own heritage as the descendants of deported Azerbaijanis. This position can only be substantiated in the international academic community through source-based facts and research that can be independently verified. The research will also serve to document the historical and cultural foundations for the safe and dignified return of the deported population."
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