Cooperation in the field of protection and restoration of cultural heritage was discussed in Beijing

As reported earlier, the delegation of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan is on a visit to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

During the visit, on September 8, the delegation met with the Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, the Administrator of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the President of the China Association for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage, the Secretary General of the China National Art Foundation, and the Chinese Co-Chairman of the UNESCO International Coordinating Committee for the Conservation and Enhancement of the Temple of Preah Vihear, Li Chun.

Mr. Li Chun warmly welcomed the Azerbaijani delegation and thanked Minister of Culture Adil Karimli for accepting the invitation and for the visit to China.

The Deputy Minister gave information about the historical and cultural monuments of China and talked about the efforts made to protect the ancient heritage of his country. Li Chun also touched upon international cultural cooperation.

Minister Adil Karimli expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and exceptional hospitality extended to the delegation and shared his satisfaction to be in China, which is considered to be one of the cradles of the ancient civilizations in the world.

He talked about the cultural riches of Azerbaijan and emphasized that our countries were also historically connected through the Great Silk Road. It was emphasized that joint efforts to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the countries located along this historical route can bring better results.

It was noted that the protection, restoration, and promotion of historical and cultural monuments in Azerbaijan were always the focus of the state. President Ilham Aliyev, First Vice President, and Head of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva undertake a number of measures for the development of various cultural spheres and implement local and international projects. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation supports the protection of cultural heritage not only in our country but also beyond our borders.

The Minister stressed the importance of expanding cooperation with China in various cultural spheres and underlined the value of exchanging experience in various fields. In this regard, the need for strengthening the contractual and legal framework between the two countries was emphasized.

Adil Karimli pointed out that the historical territories of Azerbaijan were occupied by Armenia for three decades, during which time the entire infrastructure, including historical, cultural, and religious heritage, was subjected to vandalism, theft, and looting. It was reported that in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, the mighty Azerbaijan Army under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, inflicted a severe defeat on the enemy, putting an end to the 30-year occupation of our lands and restoring historical justice and territorial integrity. After the war, the true extent of the vandalism committed by Armenia was revealed, and it became known that hundreds of our cities, towns, and villages were wiped off the face of the earth.

Shortly after the war, the state of Azerbaijan started extensive restoration and reconstruction efforts in the liberated territories. In our historical lands, continuous work is being carried out for the restoration of cultural heritage. A number of historical and religious monuments have already been fully restored.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest and discussed the possibilities of cooperation.