Azernews.Az

Azerbaijani Culture Days are continuing in Cannes, France, with another event organized at the city`s Festival Palace, AzerTac state news agency reported.

Azerbaijan`s First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and Mayor of Cannes Bernard Brochan attended the event, which started with an exhibition demonstrating ancient musical instruments of Azerbaijan as well as highlighting the country`s history and contemporary achievements.

Speaking at the event, Bernard Brochan stressed the importance of the Azerbaijani Culture Days. He hailed the project, which is part of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s policy to promote Azerbaijani culture worldwide, saying it contributes to developing France-Azerbaijan relations. The Cannes mayor thanked Azerbaijan`s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for organizing the event.

In her remarks, Mehriban Aliyeva said the Azerbaijani Culture Days have been organized in many French regions and cities. Mehriban Aliyeva praised political, economic, scientific and cultural relations between the two countries. She said Azerbaijan and France are cooperating both in the bilateral format, and as part of international organizations, including the Council of Europe, OSCE and the United Nations.

"France is one of the largest trade partners of Azerbaijan. There are more than 30 French companies working in our country. Our economic cooperation covers energy sector, communications, transport, wine-making, light industry and urban planning. This February Azerbaijan put its first communications satellite, Azerspace-1, into orbit aided by French Arian company. And our cooperation on this front will further continue," Mehriban Aliyeva said.

She hailed humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.

"We are organizing - in Baku and Paris - different exhibitions, concerts and other event aimed at promoting our countries. It`s no coincidence that Plaisirs de France" exhibition, which features works kept at world-famous French museums such as Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou Metz and Versailles, chose Baku as its first destination of the world tour."

"The government of Azerbaijan has contributed to establishing the Islamic Culture Department at Louvre, as well as to restoring monuments in Versailles, Strasbourg Cathedral, and French regions, including in Normandy," Mrs. Aliyeva added.

She said Azerbaijan had rich and ancient history. "For centuries Azerbaijan has played the role of a bridge between cultures and civilizations, between the East and the West."
"Today having combined the Western and eastern values, Azerbaijan remains committed to traditions of tolerance, peacefulness and hospitality."
Mehriban Aliyeva also thanked Bernard Brochan for naming her an honorary citizen of the city of Cannes.
The event featured a concert by Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra after Uzeyir Hajibayli conducted by Honored Artist Fakhraddin Karimov.