(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Laman Ismayilova Read more
As a UNESCO member, Azerbaijan has been actively engaged in
promoting cultural diversity and heritage preservation.
The country has been constantly participating in UNESCO programs
since 1992.
Through its efforts, Azerbaijan plays a significant role in
UNESCO's mission to build peace, foster sustainable development and
intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture,
communication and information.
In 2003, the parties signed a framework agreement on cooperation
in the areas of culture, science, education, and communication,
which allowed Azerbaijan to become one of the donors of UNESCO.
At the 217th UNESCO session, Azerbaijan has made a significant
statement, reaffirming its contribution to the global agenda of
peace, security and sustainable development.
"Azerbaijan attaches great importance to following the
priorities and effective implementation of UNESCO programs. Our
country is committed to working with UNESCO and its member states
in an open, transparent and inclusive manner. Azerbaijan actively
supports the organization's initiatives in the field of
intercultural dialogue, as well as the fight against racism and
discrimination, and consistently encourages dialogue between
cultures and religions through such global initiatives as the Baku
Process and Peace4Culture campaign."
These remarks are contained in Azerbaijan's statement read out
by Permanent Delegate of Azerbaijan to UNESCO Elman Abdullayev, Azernews reports.
It was brought to attention that Azerbaijan continues to
contribute to the global agenda of peace, security and sustainable
development within its capabilities and as a chair of the
Non-Aligned Movement.
However, the dangerous trends still observed in the region, such
as manifestations of racism, discrimination and related
intolerance, are cause for concern.
Over 30 years of military aggression, Armenia has completely
destroyed, looted and vandalized the cultural heritage in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Cultural assets such as
historical monuments, mosques, temples, mausoleums, museums,
exhibits, art galleries, archaeological sites and libraries were
most brutally looted and razed to the ground.
During the occupation, Azerbaijan's educational infrastructure
was also seriously damaged. Armenia completely destroyed more than
2,000 educational institutions in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan.
Armenia also pursued a policy of systematic destruction, plunder
and appropriation of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan. In
Armenia, traces of Azerbaijanis expelled from
Erivan , West Zangazur, Vedi, Nuvedi, Goychaand
many other historical lands, the lands of their great-grandfathers,
were deliberately destroyed or erased.
The statement says that Armenian policy, which carried out
ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, also had a disastrous impact
on Azerbaijan's intangible cultural heritage, which is an
infringement of the cultural rights of all Azerbaijanis, as well as
the right of every person to enjoy cultural heritage.
It is indicated that the appeals to the UNESCO Director General
by the Azerbaijani government, a number of Azerbaijani NGOs and the
Western Azerbaijan Community, who expressed deep concern about the
destruction of Azerbaijani cultural heritage in Armenia, and the
call to send a mission to Armenia to establish the facts and assess
the state of affairs in this area are fair demand of the
Azerbaijani people.
The document notes that in three years that have passed since
the signing of the trilateral Statement in 2020, Armenia has
deployed illegal armed groups numbering more than a thousand people
on the territory of Azerbaijan.
In addition, Armenia used the Lachin road to incite separatism
on Azerbaijan's sovereign territory.
In September 2023, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, responding to
numerous provocations of illegal Armenian armed groups, carried out
local anti-terrorist measures.
During the anti-terrorist measures, the necessary measures were
taken to prevent damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure in
full compliance with the norms of humanitarian law.
The statement says about the liquidation of the so-called
"regime" and the disarmament of illegal armed groups.
It also touches upon the process of reintegration of local
Armenian residents, the creation of a special electronic portal for
this, the formation of a favorable atmosphere for dialogue, and
Azerbaijan's plan to normalize relations with Armenia.
Attention is drawn to the fact that the report of the UN mission
to Azerbaijan's Garabagh, in particular, to the city of Khankandi,
indicates that no damage was caused to civilian infrastructure,
cultural and religious sites, no violence was committed against
civilians, Azerbaijan is preparing restore the provision of health
care services and a number of public utilities in Khankandi.
At the same time, the statement especially emphasizes that
Azerbaijan and Armenia have a historical opportunity to establish
good neighborly relations and coexist in peaceful conditions as two
sovereign states.
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