Shusha might be declared Turkic world's cultural capital

By Laman Ismayilova

Shusha has been nominated for the title of the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023.

Culture Minister Anar Karimov made the proposal at the 38th ministerial meeting of TURKSOY held in Uzbekistan.

"I nominated Shusha as the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023," Karimov wrote on his Twitter account.

He added that during the meeting, he touched upon Azerbaijan's partnership with TURKSOY, as well the destruction of the historical and cultural monuments in Karabakh as a result of the Armenian occupation which lasted almost 30 years and the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020.

The 2020 Karabakh war ended with a Russian-brokered peace deal signed on November 10 by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders.  

Shusha is often considered the cradle of Azerbaijan's music and poetry.

In 2021, President Ilham Aliyev named Shusha Azerbaijan's cultural capital. The city was liberated from the Armenian occupation in 2020. 

The Culture Ministry and other state organizations were instructed to restore the historical appearance of Shusha, its cultural and historical monuments.

Moreover, Shusha might be declared the Asian region's Capital of Islamic Culture. 

ICESCO proposed to declare Shusha as the capital of the Islamic world. The initiative was announced at the press conference between ICESCO Director-General Salim AlMalik and the Azerbaijan Culture Minister Anar Karimov. Moreover, ICESCO’s regional center may open in Shusha.

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