Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Azerbaijan's First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, met with Director of the Palace of Versailles Catherine Pegard at the Center of Azerbaijani Culture in Paris on May 20.

The sides agreed to present Azerbaijani culture at the Versailles and to showcase exhibits of the Versailles museum in Baku.

During the meeting Mehriban Aliyeva and Catherine Pegard discussed the expansion of cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Palace of Versailles.

The First Lady cited the restoration of two monuments at the Palace of Versailles by Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev Foundation, underlined the significance of continuing such projects in the future and invited Pegard to pay a visit to Azerbaijan.

Having accepted the invitation, Pegard thanked the First Lady for her assistance in the restoration of two monuments at Versailles. She said such projects would be an essential contribution to the relations between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Palace of Versailles.

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most beautiful achievements of 18th-century French art. At first it was just a humble hunting lodge. However, Louis XIV chose the site to build the palace, the symbol of royal absolutism and embodiment of classical French art. He transformed and expanded the palace, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682.

The most emblematic achievement is the Hall of Mirrors, where the king put on his most ostentatious display of royal power in order to impress visitors. The palace acquired a new role in the 19th century as the Museum of the History of France.

Starting activity in 2004, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has been making contributions to the social and economic development of Azerbaijan by implementing various projects in education, culture, sports, science and technology and other fields.

The Foundation's cultural diplomacy has been playing a significant role in the promotion of Azerbaijan in France. Restoration of historical and cultural monuments and cultural sites is one of the essential facets in the activity of the Foundation.

In 2007, the Foundation supported restoration of ancient masterpieces in Versailles, Paris. The works of art eroded by time and environmental impact and restored by the Foundation include the Amazon statue by Jacques Buirrette and the Bowl with Handles Adorned by Faun Heads by Claude Bartenne.

Along with restoration work on two monuments in the Versailles castles the Foundation has supported restoration of a cathedral in the center of Strasbourg.

Furthermore, the Foundation has contributed to the restoration of seven churches dating back to the 10^th to 12^th centuries at the Orne department of France.

In order to step up the promotion of Azerbaijan in France, to control it from a single center and to increase its efficiency, the Foundation established the Azerbaijani Cultural Center in Paris in September 2012.

Located at the heart of Paris, near the Eiffel Tower, the cultural center is a historical building constructed in 1904. Exhibits reflecting Azerbaijan's history are displayed at the center, which has various halls.