Chairmanship of UNESCO National Commissions of TURKSOY member states passes from Türkiye to Azerbaijan

Link: https://azertag.az/

The 9th meeting of the National Commissions for UNESCO of the TURKSOY Member States co-organized by Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), ADA University and the Institute for Development and Diplomacy (IDD) of the University, has kicked off in Baku.

The participants first watched a video address by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO Jeyhun Bayramov.

The ceremony also featured opening remarks by Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev, Acting Minister of Culture of Adil Karimli, Deputy Secretary General of TURKSOY Bilal Çakıcı and President of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO Ocal Oguz.

The chairmanship of the National Commissions for UNESCO of TURKSOY member states has been transferred from Turkish National Commission for UNESCO to Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO.

The opening ceremony, moderated by ADA University Vice-Rector for Government, External and Student Affairs, Director of Development and Diplomacy Institute Fariz Ismayilzade, also featured a video message by Assistant Director-General, Africa Department of UNESCO Firmin Edouard Matoko.

Other speakers at the ceremony included first Chairman of Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO Hasan Hasanov, Milli Majlis Committee Chairman, Academician Ahliman Amiraslanov and Chairman of Board of Icharishahar State Historical and Architectural Reserve Shahin Seyidzade. In their remarks, the speakers hailed the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCO over the past 30 years.

The opening ceremony continued with panel discussions and seminars.

The closing ceremony of the meeting, to be held in Shusha, the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023, will feature the adoption of the final declaration.