ICESCO Director General visits Azerbaijan's museums [PHOTO]

14 January 2021 10:26 (UTC+04:00)

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By Laman Ismayilova

As part of his visit to Azerbaijan, ICESCO Director General Salim AlMalik has visited the country's leading museums.

The delegation of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) visited the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum.

The director of the Carpet Museum ShirinF Melikova informed the ICESCO delegation about Azerbaijan's carpet weaving art, its ancient history and traditions.

Founded in 1967, the National Carpet Museum holds more than 14,000 exhibits of the finest Azerbaijani carpets.

The museum's collection features multiple exhibits, including carpet samples of the country's seven carpet-weaving schools.

Carpet Museum director provided insight into rare samples of pileless carpets.

The art of national carpet weaving was included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List on November 16, 2010 thanks to the great work of Azerbaijan's First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva.

Furthermore, ICESCO Director General visited the Old City Museum.

The members of the delegation were informed about the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve, which is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

The director of the Old City Museum Amina Melikova spoke about the landscaping and restoration work carried out there. The museum director stressed that Icherisheher is home to numerous historical and architectural monuments protected by the state.

ICESCO director general also visited the Palace of Shirvanshahs.

Built in the early 15th century, the Palace of Shirvanshahs is located on the highest point of the Old City. The monument is clearly visible from the Caspian Sea and the heights around the city.

Then the guests got acquainted with the Beylar Mosque, a historical and architectural monument of local importance, built in 1895.

The mosque was named after the famous beys in Baku. The last mosque to be built in the Old City differs from other religious monuments in the size and construction of the hall. The mosque features elements of European, Eastern and local architecture.

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.