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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan has reaffirmed its commitment to the protection of cultural and natural heritage during the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, South Korea, AzerNEWS reports.

Azerbaijan was represented at the session by a delegation comprising officials from the country's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, the National Commission for UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture, and the State Tourism Agency.

During the general debate, Azerbaijan's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev, delivered the country's national statement.

The ambassador highlighted Azerbaijan's ongoing efforts to safeguard its cultural heritage. The statement noted that the recently adopted "Azerbaijani Culture – 2040" Concept establishes a long-term strategic framework for improving the cultural heritage management system, documenting heritage sites, strengthening their legal protection, and restoring historical monuments.

The statement also emphasized that, despite the continuing challenges posed by landmine contamination in certain areas, Azerbaijan has continued work on the inventory and documentation of cultural heritage sites.

Ambassador Abdullayev stressed that one of the outcomes of these preservation efforts is the inclusion of the Khinalig village, part of the "Cultural Landscape of the Khinalig People and the Köç Yolu Transhumance Route" UNESCO World Heritage property, in the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages 2025 list. He said this recognition demonstrates the strong link between cultural heritage preservation, local community development, and sustainable tourism.

The statement further noted that 2026 has been declared the "Year of Urban Planning and Architecture" in Azerbaijan. It also highlighted the SECURE (Sustainable and Empowering Cultural Revitalization) initiative, presented at the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku, as a project with significant potential to contribute to cultural heritage preservation, sustainable development, and post-conflict recovery.

It was announced that a special event dedicated to the SECURE initiative will be held on July 23 as part of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee.

Ambassador Abdullayev also reaffirmed Azerbaijan's commitment to expanding cooperation with African countries. He stated that Azerbaijan would support the implementation of both the World Heritage Africa Strategy and the World Heritage Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Strategy.

In addition, he presented information about the Azerbaijan–SIDS World Heritage Capacity-Building Programme, developed by Azerbaijan. The programme aims to strengthen institutional capacity for World Heritage management in Small Island Developing States, support expert training, and assist future World Heritage nomination processes.

Concluding his remarks, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev stated that Azerbaijan, as a member of the World Heritage Committee, is ready to work closely with all partner countries, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, and the Committee's Advisory Bodies.

He reaffirmed Azerbaijan's commitment to advancing the objectives of the World Heritage Convention and contributing to the development of a more balanced, inclusive, and effective World Heritage system.