Events organized in Azerbaijan with participation of UNESCO
On 24 August, 2005, an international conference on the theme of “UNESCO-Azerbaijan: Bridge to the Future” was held in Baku.
On 10-11 June, 2008, an International Forum entitled “Expanding the Role of Women in Cross-cultural Dialogue” was held in Baku. This Forum, organized on the initiative of the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, and with support of ISESCO and UNESCO, gathered an international audience of over 300 representatives, including First Ladies of several countries, the Director-General of ISESCO, as well as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors.
On March 18-25, 2009, the first International Mugham Festival was held in Baku on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Union of Writers. The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the First Lady of Azerbaijan Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura, and many other guests from 17 countries attended the Festival. Scientific symposia, an international competition of mugham performers and miscellaneous concerts were held in the framework of the Festival.
Since 2009, the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, jointly with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has been organizing International Baku Conferences of Ombudsmen on human rights related themes.
Since 2011, Azerbaijan has been hosting World Forums on Intercultural Dialogue in cooperation with the UN Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and ISESCO. Hans D’Orville, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Strategic Planning, participated at the 2011 Forum. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, attended the 2013 and 2015 Forums consecutively.
From 31 May to 2 June, 2011, the 18th session of the International Bioethics Committee of UNESCO was held in Baku. It was organized by UNESCO, the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO and the ANAS (The Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences) at the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Government of Azerbaijan. It gathered 80 guests, including Ms. Pilar Alvarez-Laso, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, experts of the International Bioethics Committee, as well as UNESCO representatives. Speaking toan audience at the opening ceremony, Mr. Anar Alakbarov, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, read a letter addressed by the First Lady of Azerbaijan, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva. A video message of Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, was also demonstrated to the participants.
The Baku International Humanitarian Forum, held annually since 2009, brings together statesmen, Nobel Prize Laureates in various fields of science, heads of prominent international organizations, as well as world elite representatives of culture, science, politics and other fields to discuss critical issues, share views and opinions on global problems. UNESCO was represented at the highest level at four Forums organized between 2011 and 2014.
On November 5-9, 2012, the 7th Internet Governance Forum was organized jointly by the Government of Azerbaijan, the Council of Europe, the European Broadcasting Union, OSCE, and UNESCO. Ambassador Janis Karklins, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General of Information and Communication attended the event.
On March 13-15, 2013, an extraordinary session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport was held in Baku. Ms. Pilar Alvarez-Laso, the Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences also participated in the event.
On 14 June, 2013, the 4th Congress of Azerbaijani Women, organized by the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs, was held under the slogan “Unity for Development”. Close to 2000 people participated at the event. Mrs. Gunay Afandiyeva, The First Secretary of the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, delivered Irina Bokova’s message to the Congress.
On December 2-8, 2013, the 8th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took place in Baku. 611 guests from 116 countries participated at the session chaired by the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Abulfas Garayev. Mr. Elchin Afandiyev, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, delivered the message of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, to the participants. UNESCO Director-General Ms. Irina Bokova’s video message was also screened during the session.
On May 27-29, 2014, an International Baku Forum entitled “New Challenges in the World Science: Joint Approaches of Young Scientists” was held jointly by the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, the AR Ministry of Youth and Sport, the ANAS and other institutions. President of the UNESCO General Conference Hao Ping participated at the Forum. During his visit to Baku, Mr. Hao Ping met with the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Abulfas Garayev, the Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr. Azad Rahimov, and the Minister of Education, Mr. Mikayil Jabbarov.
On November 17-18, 2014, an international conference on strengthening religious tolerance, co-organized by OSCE Project Coordinator in Baku, the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Board of Muslims of the Caucasus and the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO took place in Baku. Mrs. Gunay Afandiyeva, the First Secretary of the National Commission delivered the message of Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, to the participants.
On December 18-19, 2014, the 5th Meeting of National Commissions, Committees for UNESCO and TURKSOY Member States, organized by the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, was held in Baku. Representatives of national commissions and committees for UNESCO, 120 guests, including 65 representatives of foreign institutions participated in the meeting. The event was chaired by Azerbaijan. Coordinating the activities of the national commission was also delegated to the latter until the next meeting.
On 19 May, 2015, the First Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs on Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue on the occasion of the 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue was held. It was organized by UNESCO, in partnership with the KAICIID Centre for Dialogue and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan. Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, took part in the Forum.
