UNESCO interested to open research center on Azerbaijan
By Nigar Orujova
UNESCO is interested to open a research center on Azerbaijan.
This was said by President of the UNESCO General Conference Hao Ping at a meeting with Azerbaijan Youth and Sport Minister Azad Rahimov held in Baku as part of the International Young Scientists Forum on May 29.
The forum that began its work on May 26 and will last until May 31 is organized by the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the Azerbaijan National Commission for UNESCO, the Council of Europe's young researchers "Eurodoc", and Azerbaijan's society of young scientists, post-graduate students, and masters.
"With full confidence I can say that the event, which was attended by about 500 young masters, doctors, in a word scientists from about 100 countries, including Azerbaijan, for the first time was held on such a scale. Azerbaijan is a very interesting eye-catcher for research country. Therefore, we interested to created Research Center on Azerbaijan in UNESCO," Ping said.
He also praised the event held in Baku, saying that widespread project "People to people" for communication and exchange of knowledge and information between people will be interesting for Azerbaijan.
In turn, Rahimov informed about events, held by the ministry, and noted that in frame of the project "What I know about Azerbaijan?" the country was visited by about 250 young people from more than 15 countries, and that such projects will be expanded.
The sides also discussed prospects of multilateral cooperation in the spheres of science, education and youth outreach, ensuring the integration of young Azerbaijani scientists in the science of the world, establishing cooperation between Azerbaijan and the young scientists of the world, support that the ministry will provide to young scientists.
During his visit to Azerbaijan, Hao Ping was also received by Azerbaijani First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva on May 29.
Aliyeva hailed Azerbaijan's, as well as the Heydar Aliyev Foundation's bilateral ties with the UNESCO.
"I am proud to have been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for about 10 years," she said.
The First Lady noted the bilateral ties had been expanded year by year to reach an excellent point. Noting the Heydar Aliyev Foundations held the UNESCO events not only in Azerbaijan, but also in other countries, Aliyeva expressed confidence that the cooperation would continue to develop and new projects would be implemented.
Hao Ping thanked for high hospitality, and passed on the greetings of UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Special Envoy, Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan to Mehriban Aliyeva.
He said the projects implemented jointly by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and UNESCO in scientific, educational and cultural fields had greatly contributed to expanding the bilateral ties.
He also praised the development of the Azerbaijani capital of Baku.
By joining the organization in 1992, Azerbaijan began cooperation with UNESCO with providing its member states with opportunities to benefit from the assistance of high-level experts and technical aids, as well as training scientific and pedagogical personnel and participating in global scientific projects.
Day-to-day operational work on Azerbaijan's cooperation with UNESCO is carried out by the Permanent Secretary of the National Commission within the Foreign Ministry in Baku and the Permanent Representation of Azerbaijan to UNESCO in Paris.