The Armenian section of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR) presents a deeply moving new booklet offering a vital and unfiltered glimpse into one of the most tragic chapters in recent Armenian history: the forced displacement of the Armenian population from Artsakh following the events of September 19, 2023. The publication was prepared within the framework of an international project titled “Training of Media Actors”, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

The booklet chronicles the lived experiences of women forcibly displaced from their ancestral homeland—Artsakh—after enduring a prolonged blockade, war, and finally, expulsion. These are not political narratives or historical analyses. Rather, they are first-hand accounts of ordinary people—mothers, teachers, daughters, grandmothers—who, for generations, called Artsakh home.

The project’s purpose is simple yet profound: to humanize the consequences of conflict through storytelling. Each interview captures the voices of individuals navigating the sudden loss of home, the trauma of war, and the weight of survival. The stories are woven with emotion, resilience, and a quiet strength that speaks volumes about the unbreakable connection between identity and homeland.

Due to the sensitive nature of the events, some names have been altered, and photographs omitted at the request of interviewees. In their place, images of towns, villages, and homes in Artsakh provide a visual memory of what has been left behind. The booklet also features exclusive photographs from the days of displacement—raw and powerful snapshots of lives in transit.

The contributors—Bela Shikaryan, Ani Sukiasyan, Sirak Yeghiazaryan, Kolya Mkrtchyan, Ani Margaryan, and Sirusho Melkonyan—have meticulously gathered and recorded these narratives with empathy and journalistic integrity. Special recognition goes to Nare Narimanyan, whose exclusive images of emigration add a visual depth to the stories recounted.

This publication is a tribute to those who endured, and a call to remember not just what was lost—but who was lost. It is an invitation to bear witness.