The 39th number of “Awedis”

Events at the beginning of June in a rather sad way reminded us how difficult is to protect historic and cultural heritage. Gdansk fire , about that we are writing on pages 1 an 2 , might have caused more severe losses . However this what was destroyed clearly shows how historic buildings and objects related to the Armenian heritage in Poland may be sensitive to effects of elements. We still need to make great efforts, not to talk about costs ,to protect this heritage from degradation and destruction.
The protection of inheritance appears as particularly important topic in the context of consecutive anniversary ,this time 104th one, of Armenians genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
Then a great part of the Armenian heritage, both written and transmitted orally, was irretrievably destroyed. Written sources were destroyed by burning of libraries and destroying of Armenian monasteries while oral ones through murdering of people  starting from clergymen, intellectuals  to musicians and artists. These irreversible losses imposed on  those who survived the genocide and Armenians in the Diaspora more relevant duty to save what was left.
In case of Poland the problem of protection of heritage was additionally influenced  by persecutions during the world war II and postwar compulsory migrations. Items that were saved and transported across the borders of post-war Poland to this day are under the care of, among others, of Foundation of Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians. Fortunately, contemporary Poland gives a lot of opportunities in the field of protecting the heritage and  allows as well for cultivating freely own traditions and customs. It is thanks to the support of the Polish state that such an organization like our Foundation can function and magazine like this one may be published, Celebrating this year the 10th anniversary of “Awedis” in connection with the 10th (autumn) number we should remember about that.