Armenia consistently denies the centuries-long presence of the Azerbaijani people on their ancestral lands and their creation of a rich cultural heritage. This includes the destruction of historical monuments, cemeteries, mosques, and ancient settlements in Western Azerbaijan, as well as significant damage to Azerbaijani ashug art, recognized by UNESCO as a universal cultural treasure, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in his letter to participants of the second international conference titled “The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia.”

President Aliyev highlighted that among the historical-cultural monuments, only the Blue Mosque—a shining example of Azerbaijani architecture and Islamic culture—remains intact. However, Armenia has deliberately altered the mosque’s original architectural style in an attempt to present it under a different identity.

“These destructive actions, aimed at distorting and rewriting the region’s history and cultural landscape, reflect nothing but intolerance and racism,” the President emphasized.