General information

Relations between Azerbaijan and UNESCO

Azerbaijan became a member of UNESCO on the 3^rd of June 1992. In accordance with the Order dated the 21^st of February 1994 of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO was established. In 1996, a Memorandum of cooperation was signed between Azerbaijan and UNESCO.

In 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the title of goodwill ambassador of this organization in the field of oral traditions and musical traditions for her contribution to the development of traditional music, literature, and poetry, her services in the field of music education and exchange of world cultures, and her loyalty to UNESCO’s ideasMehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Gold Medal of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in March 2006 for her contribution to the protection of cultural and moral values.

In 2010, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the “Golden Mozart” Medal of UNESCO for her care and attention to the world culture, as well as for her contribution to the preservation of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan.

One of the memorable and important moments in the development of Azerbaijan—UNESCO relations was the celebration of the 500^th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet and thinker Mohammed Fuzuli in 1996 at the 1300^th anniversary of the epos “Kitabi Dede Gorgud” in 2000 in Paris — at the organizations’ headquarters.Dozens of anniversary events were celebrated at the international level within the framework of UNESCO’s Jubilees program. Among them were 800 (2001) great scientist Nasiraddin Tusi, 200 (2002) Orientalist Mirza Kazimbey, 100 (2005) outstanding scientists, academician Yusif Mammadaliyev, 100 (2006) famous artist, carpet master Latif Karimov, 100 (2008) first performance of “Leyli and Majnun” opera by great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli, 100 (2008) of the outstanding writer Mir Jalal Pashayev, 100 (2009) of the great artist Sattar Bahlulzade, 100 (2009) of the famous scientist, academician Musa Aliyev, 900 (2013) of the works of the famous poet and scientist of the Middle Ages Mahsati Ganjavi, 100 (2013) of the great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s musical comedy “Arshin mal alan”, the 550^th anniversary (2013) of the death of philosopher, scientist Sayid Yahya Bakuvi, the 100^th anniversary of the great composer Gara Garayev, etc, anniversary events can be called. The Republic of Azerbaijan, which plays the role of a bridge where cultures converge, has hosted a number of international events with the support of UNESCO.The World Forum of Intercultural Dialogue, organized with the support of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the North-South Center of the Council of Europe, and ISESCO, is one of the events carried out in our republic as part of the continuation of the “Baku process”, involving the development of intercultural dialogue between different cultures and civilizations, initiated by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in the 2008 year.

On July 18, 2013, A framework Agreement on cooperation in the field of Education, Science, Culture, and communication was signed between UNESCO and the government of Azerbaijan at the headquarters of the organization in Paris on the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s membership in UNESCO. Taking part in the event, First Lady of Azerbaijan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva expressed confidence that this step will “contribute to the promotion of UNESCO’s ideals and principles in the world by supporting priority programs and initiatives launched at the international level”.

In 2015, within the framework of the “Days of Azerbaijani Culture” organized at UNESCO with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, an exhibition dedicated to the game of chess of Azerbaijan, was included in the UNESCO list of intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent protection, was organized, a presentation of the book “Karabakh horses” by French writer Jean-Louis Gouraud was held. At the same time, the exhibition “Azerbaijan: from tradition to modernity” was opened and a concert by the group” new generation of jazz” was organized.In May 2015, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony of the “tree of peace” within the framework of the Third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku. They attended the opening ceremony of the forum. Within the framework of the Forum, Irina Bokova, the main director of UNESCO, presented to Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva a document confirming the inclusion of the Kelaghayi art of Azerbaijan in the representative list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Subsidiaries of UNESCO, of which Azerbaijan is a member

1. UNESCO Executive Board (2021-2025)
2. Committee for tje Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (2021-2025)
3. International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) (2023-2027)
4. Subsidiary Committee to the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibing and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (2023-2027)

National committees established in Azerbaijan in various fields of UNESCO

1. ICOM- International Council of Museums;
2. IHP- International Hydrological Programme;
3. MAB- Man and the Biosphere Programme;
4. IBC- International Bioethics Committee;
5. IFAP - Information For All Programme;
6. Memory of the World Register Programme.

UNESCO Conventions to which the Republic of Azerbaijan is a party

1. The Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 14 May 1954 (1993), and the First Protocol (1993) and the Second Protocol (2000);
2. Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of the 16^th of November 1972 (1993);
3. Convention on the Recognition of Courses, Diplomas in Higher Education and Degrees in the European Region of the 21^st of December 1979 (1994);
4. Regional Convention on the Recognition of Courses, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific. 16 December 1983 (1995);
5. World Copyright Convention of the 6^th of September 1952 (1997);
6. Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (1998);
7. Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property of the 14^th of November 1970 (1997);
8. Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. 2 February 1971 (2001);
9. Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms of the 29^th of October 1971 (2001);
10. The 1995 Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (UNIDROIT) (2003);
11. Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the 17th of October 2003 (2006);
12. International Convention against Doping in Sport of the 19th of October 2005 (2007);
13. Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions of the 20th of October 2005 (2010);
14. Convention on the International Exchange of Publications of the 3rd of December 1958 (2020).