Discussions were held on the prospects of cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and the head of the delegation representing our country at the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference, Elnur Mammadov, met with the Director General of ICESCO, Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik.

AZERTAC reports that during the meeting, it was noted that Azerbaijan and ICESCO have existing high-level cooperation relations. It was emphasized with satisfaction that ICESCO was among the first international organizations to send its representatives to Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

It was highlighted that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice President, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Goodwill Ambassador of ICESCO, Mehriban Aliyeva, have consistently shown high attention and care towards the preservation of historical, cultural, and religious monuments in our country. The deliberate destruction of Azerbaijan's historical, cultural, and religious heritage by Armenia in the liberated territories of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur following the liberation from occupation was also mentioned.

During the discussion, it was mentioned that within the framework of the 74th International Astronautical Congress held in Baku, a joint declaration was signed between "Azercosmos" and ICESCO. The document primarily focused on exchanging ideas regarding "Azercosmos" and ICESCO's first investment project in the space sector in Azerbaijan.

During the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture of the Islamic World held in Doha, the capital of Qatar, Azerbaijan's ancient city of Shusha was applauded for being chosen as ICESCO's "Capital of Islamic Culture" for the year 2024. It was noted that the historic fame of the fortress-city, liberated by the heroic Azerbaijani Army under the leadership of President and Victorious Supreme Commander Ilham Aliyev during the 44-day Patriotic War in 2020, has been rightfully restored.

During the meeting, special emphasis was placed on the restoration efforts of Shusha's historical, religious, and cultural monuments by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation under the leadership of First Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva. It was highlighted that Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva's significant support played a crucial role in advancing Shusha's candidacy as the "Capital of Islamic Culture," highlighting its importance in the process.

Director General Salim bin Mohammed Al-Maliki emphasized that Azerbaijan has consistently supported ICESCO's activities and appreciated the significant contributions of our country to the organization's work.

During the discussion, prospects for cooperation between ICESCO and Azerbaijan were explored, including the implementation of various programs promoting peace agendas through youth participation. There was an exchange of ideas regarding collaboration in the education sector as well.

Shahla Aghalarova
Special correspondent of AZERTAC
Paris