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Azerbaijan became multiculturalism center in region long ago – FM (PHOTO)

Politics Materials 18 December 2014 11:29 (UTC +04:00)
Azerbaijan became a multiculturalism center in the region long ago, said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister.
Azerbaijan became multiculturalism center in region long ago – FM (PHOTO)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 18

By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:

Azerbaijan became a multiculturalism center in the region long ago, said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Chairman of the country's National Commission to UNESCO Elmar Mammadyarov.

He made the remarks at the fifth meeting of representatives of national committees and commissions of TURKSOY Member Countries to the UNESCO Dec. 18.

Mammadyarov said that not only the heads and representatives of TURKSOY and UNESCO, but also those from the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking states, Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-speaking countries, the Council of Elders and the International Turkic Academy attend the meeting.

Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan and UNESCO mark the 20 year-cooperation this year, and said Azerbaijan joined almost all the conventions of the organization.

He said that TURKSOY Member Countries have a common history and roots and we are pleased with their rapprochement.

"The appropriate meetings were held at the level of the presidents," he said. "The decisions that will further develop the relations among the Turkic-speaking countries were made. Our goal is to work for the benefit of future generations."

Mammadyarov said that as a result of the policy pursued by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's activity expanded in a global intercultural dialogue and interreligious tolerance.

"In this regard, the importance of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue and the Baku International Humanitarian Forum with the participation of UNESCO and TURKSOY should be stressed," he said.

"The Turkish Cultural Foundation will implement various projects to protect the culture of the Turkic-speaking peoples and contribute to the activity in presenting this heritage to the future generations," Mammadyarov said. "The Turkish Cultural Foundation will launch its activity in the near future."

He said that Azerbaijan makes a great contribution to this activity, and the cultural heritage preservation projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation are examples of that.

"The Heydar Aliyev Foundation has made a great contribution to the preservation and development of the Azerbaijani folklore and musical heritage, conservation of the tangible and intangible heritage of the country, as well as the restoration of historical, religious and cultural monuments in Azerbaijan and abroad," he said.

Mammadyarov said that it is necessary to continue working in the preservation of cultural heritage for future generations and the empowerment of cooperation in the protection of the common cultural heritage through TURKSOY and UNESCO.

Mammadyarov further reminded that Azerbaijan has faced the Armenian aggression, as thousands of cultural monuments were destroyed by Armenia.

"As a result of this aggression, more than one million people were expelled from their native lands," the minister said. "Unfortunately, Armenia does not comply with the resolutions of the UN Security Council and UNESCO. Armenia deliberately destroyed thousands of cultural monuments and looted the museums."

Mammadyarov also stressed that the 'Framework agreement for cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture and communication between the Azerbaijani government and UNESCO' was signed in Paris in 2013.

"This agreement envisages Azerbaijan's allocation of funds in the amount of $5 million for the implementation of several large-scale projects," he said.

Edited by SI

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Seba Aghayeva is deputy head of Trend Agency's Azerbaijani news service, follow her on Twitter: @Asebaa

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