Azerbaijan holds meeting of National Commission for UNESCO
By Laman Ismayilova
The meeting of Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO with the participation of people responsible for UNESCO in the certain organizations was held in the country’s Foreign Ministry.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the issues facing the National Commission and the plan for further activity, as well as to exchange views on close coordination between the relevant organizations.
While delivering welcome speech during the meeting, Ambassador-at-Large of the Foreign Ministry, Secretary General of the National Commission of Azerbaijan for UNESCO Elnur Sultanov spoke about the close ties between Azerbaijan and UNESCO.
He stressed the exceptional merits of First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva in the development of these relations.
Sultanov stressed that the Heydar Aliyev Foundation under the leadership of Mehriban Aliyeva implemented important projects to popularize Azerbaijani culture in the international arena and promote UNESCO's ideas.
Noting that in 2017 Azerbaijan celebrated the 25th anniversary of its membership in UNESCO, Sultanov stressed the wide potential for cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCO and informed about the issues on the agenda.
Then, the views on the current situation and prospects for cooperation in the cultural, scientific, educational, information spheres, multiculturalism, gender equality between Azerbaijan and UNESCO were exchanged.
A number of new proposals were put forward and the importance of strengthening coordination between the organizations was underlined.
Azerbaijan became member of UNESCO on June 3, 1992, after restoration of its independence. In 2003, Azerbaijan and UNESCO signed the framework agreement on cooperation in the areas of culture, science, education and communication, which allowed Azerbaijan to become one of the donors of UNESCO.
The Icherisheher (Old City), Maiden Tower and Shirvanshah’s palace were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000, while since 2007 the Gobustan National Historical-Artistic reserve also listed among these heritages.
In 2017, UNESCO recognized Azerbaijan’s dolma as the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Art of crafting and playing with kamancha, presented jointly by Azerbaijan and Iran, was also inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Last year, the organization marked the 600th anniversary of the death of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Imadaddin Nasimi. In the same year UNESCO also celebrated the 200th anniversary of the first settlement of Germans in Azerbaijan.
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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova
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