Azernews.Az

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and ICESCO have agreed on launching a joint startup project as another area of ​​cooperation in the field of culture.

The meeting discussed prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan in culture, education an science.

In his remarks, the Culture Minister Anar Karimov stressed the exceptional role of President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President, ICESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva in the development of long-term and close cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO.

The Minister welcomed the recent reforms in ICESCO. He also praised the initiative of ICESCO Director General Salim AlMalik to visit Azerbaijan's liberated territories to see the consequences of the Armenian occupation.

Notably, it is the first visit of ICESCO to the liberated territories. The Culture Minister expressed his hope that ICESCO mission will prepare an objective report on what they saw during this visit.

Anar Karimov stressed that Azerbaijan highly appreciates the efforts of ICESCO in the field of protection of cultural heritage and wants to continue cooperation in this direction.

The Culture Ministry aims at increasing the contribution to ICESCO National Commission between Azerbaijan and ICESCO, which operates under the Ministry in the field of culture, education and science.

ICESCO Director General Salim AlMalik expressed his satisfaction with his visit to Azerbaijan. He emphasized that based on international law, especially UN Security Council resolutions, ICESCO has always supported the territorial integrity, inviolability and sovereignty of Azerbaijan and took the same position during the war.

He added that at such a historic time, it is necessary to mutually expand and support the long-standing friendship and cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan.

ICESCO Director General stressed the importance of mutual exchange of experience.

Speaking about cooperation with ICESCO, Anar Karimov noted Baku Process” on intercultural dialogue. Moreover, ICESCO is one of the main international partners of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, initiated in 2011.

The meeting continued with a discussion of issues of mutual interest.

Furthermore, the Education Ministry and ICESCO have discussed prospects for future cooperation in education.

The Minister of Education Emin Amrullayev and ICESCO Director General Salim AlMalik noted that a total of 51 people have gained the right to study in higher education institutions of the country within the educational grant established for the citizens of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) states by the relevant decree of the President Ilham Aliyev.

The Minister also informed the guests that 10 students were killed, 16 were injured and 54 educational institutions were destroyed as a result of Armenian attacks, which lasted more than 6 weeks since September 27 2020.

Emin Amrullayev stressed that appropriate steps have been taken to eliminate the damage.

Azerbaijan has been a member of ICESCO since 1991. Established in 1991, these relations have entered into a stage of successful development after the awarding of Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva as Goodwill Ambassador of ICESCO on November 24, 2006. Aliyeva was honored for her services in the development of education and dialogue between civilizations.

The country is closely cooperating with various organizations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation - ICESCO, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum.

The Islamic World Heritage Committee, at its extraordinary meeting held at the ICESCO headquarters last year, approved the inscription the following heritage sites of Azerbaijan on the list of the Islamic World Heritage: Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah’s Palace and the Maiden Tower, the Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace and the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape.

During the 40th session of the Executive Council of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held on January 29-30, 2020, in Abu Dhabi a decision to change the name of the organization to the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) was adopted.

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