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Laman Ismayilova

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An Azerbaijani delegation headed by the Culture Minister Adil Karimli has participated in the 15th ICESCO General Conference held in Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, AzerNEWS reports.

Addressing the conference, the minister congratulated Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik on his reappointment as Director-General of ICESCO and wished him continued success. He highlighted that President Ilham Aliyev places great importance on cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO and remains committed to deepening relations with the organization.

Adil Karimli underlined several examples of successful collaboration, including the selection of Shusha as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024, the inclusion of the Imarat Complex in Aghdam and the Shusha State Reserve in ICESCO's Islamic World Heritage List, as well as the organization's technical missions to Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

The minister stressed the importance of applying ICESCO's expertise to other conflict-affected regions across the Islamic world. He noted that Azerbaijan is continuing joint efforts with ICESCO and international partners to restore cultural heritage damaged by conflicts and to prepare a related action roadmap.

He also announced plans to introduce a dedicated session and a security framework at the upcoming World Urban Forum in Baku.

Speaking about regional cooperation, Karimli described the establishment of the ICESCO Regional Office in Baku as a significant move toward enhancing relations with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. He said the office would create new opportunities for collaboration in education, science, and culture throughout the region.

The minister also spoke about the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Excellence Award, established jointly by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, noting that the initiative contributes to expanding cultural dialogue and cooperation.

Adil Karimli additionally emphasized that ICESCO remains an important partner in the Baku Process, launched in 2008 at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev, and invited attendees to participate in the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, which will be held in Baku on October 27–29.

Azerbaijan became a member of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in 1991.

Since joining, the country has been actively engaged in safeguarding its Islamic cultural legacy.

Azerbaijan has also developed strong partnerships with several key institutions, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Conference of Parliamentary Union, and the Islamic Conference of Youth Forum.

Moreover, Shusha has been named the "Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024" by ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).