PARIS, France, July 11. An event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Icherisheher’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List was held in Paris during the 47th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Trend reports.
The 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, taking place from July 6 to 16, features a series of thematic events. Among them was a special presentation on July 11 marking a quarter century since Icherisheher—Baku’s Old City—was added to the prestigious list.
The event was organized at the initiative of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration, with support from the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, and Trend News Agency. The event was titled “World Heritage Preservation: Conservation and Communication in Practice”.
Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Elman Abdullayev, served as moderator.
Discussions focused on international best practices, modern conservation approaches, and effective communication strategies for engaging the public in cultural heritage preservation. The event also showcased the work and achievements of the Icherisheher Reserve Administration in these areas.
Speakers included Valérie Magar, Head of Programmes at the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM); Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference; Lazare Eloundou, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre; Jean-Michel Brun, Editor-in-Chief of La Gazette du Caucase; and other international experts. They spoke about the media’s role in presenting cultural heritage, the importance of public communication tools, and global approaches to safeguarding heritage.
Azerbaijan was represented by Rufat Mahmud, Chairman of the Icherisheher Reserve Administration; Seymur Fataliyev, Secretary-General of Azerbaijan’s National Commission for UNESCO; Elman Abdullayev, Permanent Representative to UNESCO; Elsever Mammadov, Head of International Relations and Protocol at the Reserve Administration; and Elchin Aghajanov, Head of the Baku Network think tank. They presented information on restoration and conservation projects in Icherisheher, communication initiatives, and efforts to integrate cultural heritage into public life.
The event served as a meaningful platform for promoting Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage on the international stage, encouraging knowledge exchange, and reinforcing the country’s position in global heritage preservation efforts.
