Addresses delivered in the general policy debate by the Head of Delegation at the General Conference
37 session of the General Conference
S. E. M. Mikayil Jabbarov, Ministre de l’éducation de l’Azerbaïdjan
Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 37th session of the General Conference - revised and corrected version of the verbatim records of plenary meetings36 session of the General Conference - Leaders Forum
Her Excellency Mrs Mehriban ALlYEVA, First Lady of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Keynote Address at the Leaders' Forum of the 36th session of the General Conference (posted as received)36 session of the General Conference
H.E. Mrs Gunay EFANDIYEVA, Secretary General of the National Commission for UNESCO
Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 36th session of the General Conference and posted as received35 session of the General Conference
H.E. Mr Misir Mardanov, Minister of Education(Translation from Russian)
“I should like to use this opportunity to congratulate Ms Irina Bokova on her nomination as Director-General (…) and express my gratitude to Mr Koïchiro Matsuura for his successful management of UNESCO’s action and his great services in strengthening cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCO.”
“Our country has acceded to most of UNESCO’s standard-setting instruments and has participated in a number of large-scale projects.”
“The rapid economic development of Azerbaijan in recent years has created conditions for reforms in all areas, including in education systems (…). Under the programmes of Education for All implemented with UNESCO’s support, projects are being successfully carried out in the area of lifelong education, adult education and advanced training. We are pleased to relate that one of the United Nations’ five regional conferences on the eradication of illiteracy was held last year in the city of Baku.”
“A special place is occupied by cooperation with UNESCO in the field of culture. I am proud to say that the art of Azerbaijani Ashiq and the festival of Novruz were recently added to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.”
“In Africa, which is a priority region for UNESCO, our country is providing financial support for the project of cultural heritage schools in Benin.”
“Regarding Azerbaijan’s cooperation with UNESCO in the sciences, mention must be made of the State programme for the development of science for 2009-2015. I wish to express my profound gratitude to UNESCO for its assistance in the preparation of this programme.”
“In speaking about Azerbaijan’s cooperation with UNESCO, I should like particularly to note the activity of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and its President, the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Ms Mehriban Aliyeva. As a result of the Foundation’s activities within Azerbaijan and abroad, new schools, children’s homes, sports centres and medical facilities have been built. The Mugham Centre built in Baku in 2009 has held the first international festival dedicated to the ancient musical genre, the Mugham, which has been added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Heritage.”
“As a result of the military aggression of a neighbouring State, one fifth of our country’s national territory was occupied, more than 20,000 people died, over a million people became refugees and the country suffered material damage amounting to $60 billion. In Nagorno-Karabakh and neighbouring regions over 900 libraries, 700 educational and medical institutions, 26 museums and nine mosques were destroyed. I am sorry to say that all of this was the result of the aggression by Armenia with which we have lived as neighbours for centuries. As a consequence of this policy, 250,000 Azeris who historically lived in Armenia were driven out of that country, and many cultural monuments, mosques and cemeteries were destroyed (…). The victims are the people of Azerbaijan, their culture and nature. The victims are the Azeris who lived for centuries on the territory of what is now Armenia, including myself and my relatives. Madam President, Azerbaijan is attached to the ideals of UNESCO and is confident that this Organization is guided by a conception of a new humanism and is contributing to the re-establishment of stability and values which are common to all humanity.”
34 session of the General Conference
H.E. Mr Elmar Mammadyarov, Minister of Foreign AffairsAzerbaijan expresses its appreciation to the World Heritage Committee for the nomination of the Gobustan State Historical Artistic Reserve to the World Heritage List. Azerbaijan supports UNESCO’s activities in this field and has ratified the Convention on the Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The Government also stresses the importance of the funds in trust programme and to express its gratitude to Japan for helping to safeguard the Azerbaijan Mugham, masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage.
Azerbaijan is geographically determined to a natural role of breach between civilizations, between east and west. The country is proud of its multi-ethnic society, long lasting religious and national tolerance. Furthermore, Azerbaijan held the initiative in organizing a conference in 2006 dedicated to the dialogue between the west and Islam.
However, Azerbaijan also deplores that a lot of issues pertaining to inter religious relations are exacerbated artificially. More efforts should be deployed to further developing international peace and tolerance through ethnic diversity and religious tolerance. And UNESCO is an indispensable centre for partnership in this issue.
“Extensive socio-economic development of Azerbaijan in recent years has created a favourable basis for the realization of large-scale reforms in the field of education. In the framework of the project “New School for Renewing Azerbaijan” implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, more than 200 schools with all the necessary equipment have been built.”
“Some other important projects on vocational education, training of teachers and exclusive education are being implemented jointly with UNESCO within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between Azerbaijan and UNESCO. […] The Education for All programme plays an important role in ensuring sustainable development and elimination of illiteracy and contribution to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals.”
“The most urgent troubles of the region today are the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As a result of the conflict, Azerbaijan has suffered extensive cultural disasters [and] numerous cultural, historical, religious monuments and piece of art have been plundered […].” Thus Azerbaijan urges UNESCO to follow closely the situation on the ground and protect Asian cultural heritage of the country.