On September 20, 2026, as part of the Summer University of the National Assembly and National Council of Western Armenia, Lydia Margossian delivered a report entitled “Protection of the Rights and Indigenous Status of the Armenians of Western Armenia.”

Lydia Margossian emphasized that the issue of the Armenians of Western Armenia is not merely a matter of historical memory but also an issue discussed within the framework of international law. Her speech focused on the rights and self-determination of the Armenian people as an indigenous people of their historical homeland.

The report addressed the legal and political processes of 1917–1920, including the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres and Woodrow Wilson’s arbitral award. According to Lydia Margossian’s presentation, these documents continue to constitute important elements in substantiating the legal claims of Western Armenia.

She also presented the process of establishing Western Armenia’s national institutions, from the proclamation of the National Council in Shushi in 2004 to the subsequent formation of state institutions. Particular attention was given to the preservation of cultural heritage, the alteration of place names, the appropriation of Armenian historical and cultural heritage, and the preservation of the Western Armenian language.

The speech also addressed the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh, the events of 2023, and the need for mechanisms within international organizations to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. Lydia Margossian proposed establishing an additional specialized mechanism within the United Nations and transforming the existing declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples into a legally binding international treaty.

A separate section of the report also presented the environmental condition of Lake Van as an important part of Western Armenia’s natural and cultural heritage. Lydia Margossian called on international organizations to conduct independent scientific monitoring of the lake’s condition.

The concluding section of the speech emphasized the importance of applying international legal instruments, preserving historical and cultural heritage, and continuously transmitting national identity to future generations in protecting the rights of the Armenians of Western Armenia.