Ani might be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2016. The city has only been included in the UNESCO’s provisional list since 2012. According to ermenihaber.am, the Turkish Turktime website reports that 15 monuments representing historical and cultural heritage of Turkey are included in the UNESCO List.

Associate Professor Yildiz Salman, who is taking part in the preparation of UNESCO’s applications for Turkey, has informed that the UNESCO World Heritage List includes new categories, one of which is cultural routes.

“There can be more common cultural heritage projects in the culturally diverse East. For example, the Armenian cultural route that can be formed starting from Kars and reaching Van and Konia, including all the villages and churches and submit it to the UNESCO,” Salman said, adding that another option is possible, if Turkey, Georgia and Armenia present one route for joint monuments, guaranteeing the preservation of the monuments in each country.

Salman also talked about Camp Armen, which pertains to the Armenian orphanage in the Tuzla District of Istanbul. “I believe Camp Armen should be included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, but it’s not just about the area. The building also needs to be preserved. It was built by children. It’s not the result of the work of an architectural genius, but I believe it needs to be preserved since the construction of the building is unique in its kind,” Salman concluded.