Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov met with the UNESCO Director- General Audrey Azoulay

Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov had a meeting with the UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay at the UNESCO headquarters. During the meeting, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov congratulated Audrey Azoulay on her election as Director-General of UNESCO and wished success in her future activities.

Sides mentioned the important role of UNESCO in the international relations and in the prevention of contemporary threats. In this regard Minister underlined the importance of UNESCO for Azerbaijan and highlighted the exceptional role of H.E Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO in strengthening this cooperation.

At the meeting the sides touched upon the importance of Framework Agreement signed between Azerbaijan and UNESCO in 2013 and Trust Fund (US $5 Million) established on the basis of this agreement.

Within the framework of this Agreement the projects funded by Azerbaijan have been defined in the fields of education of girls in Africa, well as the protection of the intangible cultural heritage in other countries, science and technology - which UNESCO has adopted as a priority area.

Minister Elmar Mammadyarov briefed the interlocutor about the multiculturalism and traditions of tolerance in our country and said that Azerbaijan and UNESCO have very successful cooperation in the field of intercultural dialogue.

The Minister pointed out that the "Baku Process", which started in 2008 on the initiative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E Mr. Ilham Aliyev, and mentioned that this year marks the 10th anniversary of this successful project.

Audrey Azoulay said that UNESCO;s cooperation with Azerbaijan is important and commendable in the field of intercultural dialogue and stressed the importance of continuing joint activities in this area. During the meeting Minister informed about the humanitarian projects implemented by Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and expressed readiness of Azerbaijan to cooperate with UNESCO in the member states of NAM, especially in the support projects for the African states.

The UNESCO Director-General welcomed such cooperation and noted that one of the key areas for the Organization is the restoration of cultural heritage in the Middle East. The Minister said that our country is sensitive to the issue of cultural heritage protection and emphasized that our cultural monuments were purposefully targeted and destructed by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Minister said that the OSCE monitoring mission also confirmed these facts and invited UNESCO to join the monitoring process in the future.
During the meeting Minister Elmar Mammadyarov invited UNESCO General-Director to visit our country.

http://www.mfa.gov.az/en/news/909/5424