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Laman Ismayilova

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A screening of "The Guardian of Heritage", a documentary produced specifically in Azerbaijani by the China Media Group's China Radio and Television Center, has been held in Baku, AzerNEWS reports, citing Azertag.

The event was addressed by Lu Mei, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Azerbaijan; Gunay Afandiyeva, Member of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan and Deputy Chair of the Culture Committee; Tural Babayev, Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC; Radik Ismayilov, Executive Director of ARB 24 TV channel; and Wang Lu, Director of the China Radio and Television Center of China Media Group.

Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei noted that high-level reciprocal visits between China and Azerbaijan are becoming more frequent, bilateral relations are expanding, and political mutual trust continues to strengthen. She said that important and productive results have been achieved through the joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, while bilateral trade has repeatedly reached new record levels.

She underlined that the desire of the two peoples to learn more about each other's cultural heritage and way of life is growing steadily. Humanitarian cooperation in such areas as culture, education, media, think tanks, tourism, science and technology, and interregional relations is also deepening and producing practical results. According to the ambassador, this cooperation not only creates new opportunities for the development of bilateral relations but also strengthens their social foundation.

Lu Mei noted that it was in this atmosphere of friendship and mutual understanding that The Guardian of Heritage was specially produced by the China Radio and Television Center of China Media Group for presentation in Azerbaijani. Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC and ARB24 also mobilized their resources within a short period and actively supported the film's broadcast in Azerbaijan.

The ambassador stressed that the successful screening of the documentary in Azerbaijan demonstrates not only that media cooperation between China and Azerbaijan has entered a new stage, but also gives Azerbaijani audiences an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese President Xi Jinping's views on culture and of the rich cultural heritage underlying China's approach to state governance.

She added that the China Radio and Television Center would provide Azerbaijani media outlets with a number of high-quality programmes. These programmes will serve as an important bridge for Azerbaijani audiences to learn more about modern China and experience the distinctive appeal of Chinese traditional culture, while contributing to stronger humanitarian exchanges and mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

Gunay Afandiyeva, Member of Parliament and Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Culture Committee, said in her remarks that the title The Guardian of Heritage itself carries profound meaning.

"The preservation of heritage primarily means maintaining the connection between the past and the future, keeping spiritual values alive and passing them on to future generations," she said.

"This approach is also extremely important for Azerbaijan. Under the leadership of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the protection and restoration of our national cultural heritage has become an important priority of state policy. This policy covers all areas of culture, and one of its most important directions today is the restoration and revival of our historical and cultural heritage in the territories liberated from occupation—in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur."

Wang Lu, Director of the China Radio and Television Center of China Media Group, said that Xi Jinping's Cultural Connection – The Guardian of Heritage is CMG's first audiovisual project translated into Azerbaijani.

The documentary focuses on the history of the preservation and development of China's cultural heritage. It also presents Xi Jinping's approach to protecting cultural heritage and maintaining historical continuity.

Wang Lu noted that, as part of efforts to expand audiovisual and cultural exchanges with Azerbaijan, China Media Group has provided Azerbaijani journalists with more than ten documentaries. The programmes cover such topics as the development of Chinese cities, artificial intelligence, traditional crafts, robot manufacturing, Chinese history, traditional Chinese medicine, tea culture and cuisine.

Following the screening, participants shared their views on the project.

Rafiq Abbasov, Director of the Confucius Institute at Azerbaijan University of Languages, said that the announcement by President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping on establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and China had opened a new stage in bilateral relations and created favourable conditions for expanding cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

At the end of the event, Wang Lu, Director of the China Radio and Television Center of China Media Group, presented the documentaries to Tural Babayev, Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting CJSC.