(MENAFN- AzerNews) From November 13 to 15, the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, is hosting an international congress on“Spiritual Heritage and Enlightenment in Central Asia.” The event brings together representatives from five Central Asian nations: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.

According to the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani delegation, led by Culture Minister Adil Kərimli, is participating in the congress. On November 14, a Ministers' Conference was held as part of the event.

Opening the conference, Uzbekistan's Minister of Culture, Ozodbek Nazarbekov, highlighted the importance of this international gathering in fostering collaboration among friendly nations and expressed confidence that the congress and the Ministers' Conference would make a meaningful contribution to the development of cultural cooperation.

In his speech, Minister Adil Kərimli thanked his Uzbek counterpart for inviting Azerbaijan to participate in the prestigious international event. He emphasized President Ilham Aliyev's special focus on strengthening ties with Central Asian states, noting that relations with the five participating countries have rapidly deepened in recent years.

“Culturally, our nations are connected by a reliable bridge that grows stronger every year. Last year and this year have been particularly significant for the cultural life of our brotherly countries. Mutual cultural days, participation in international festivals, artistic tours, and expanding cooperation between educational and creative institutions-all of these reflect the high level of our relations. I am confident that through the implementation of the tasks set by our national leaders, we will continue to write new, bright pages in this area,” Kərimli said.

Following his remarks, speeches were delivered by Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Information, Aida Balayeva; Tajikistan's Minister of Culture, Matlubaxon Sattoriyen; Turkmenistan's Minister of Culture, Atageldi Shamiradov; and Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy, Mirbek Mambataliyev.

The ministers collectively highlighted the importance of cultural integration among their nations and discussed prospects for deepening cooperation in the years ahead.

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