PARIS, France, July 14. Baku is a vital crossroads of cultures and ideas, said Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the 42nd session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), at an event marking the 25th anniversary of Icherisheher’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Trend reports.
The gathering took place within the framework of the forty-seventh session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
“Some cities are built of stone, others of stories. Baku is made of both,” Miculescu said, recalling her visit to the Azerbaijani capital and praising its rich cultural life. “Its walls reflect traces of Western, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman influences. From the beginning, Baku has been a vital meeting point for people, ideas, and values.”
She emphasized that the inclusion of monuments such as the Shirvanshahs’ Palace and the Maiden Tower on the World Heritage List had sparked new efforts to preserve not only the city’s ancient structures but also the deep anthropological layers that shape its cultural memory.
“This work protects the legacy and memory that define humanity’s cultural richness,” she noted.
Miculescu highlighted the city’s vibrant traditions and artistic soul, particularly its thriving jazz scene.
“Baku’s jazz culture is a powerful expression of its creative identity, merging its historical legacy with contemporary cultural life,” she said, adding that this artistic energy also manifests in architecture, design, cinema, and digital innovation.
The event celebrating Icherisheher’s UNESCO milestone took place on July 11 and was one of several thematic sessions organized during the Committee’s 47th session, held from July 6 to 16.
It was organized by the Administration of the “Icherisheher” State Historical-Architectural Reserve, with support from the National Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan for UNESCO, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission to UNESCO, and Trend News Agency. The theme was “Preserving World Heritage: Conservation and Communication in Practice.”
As part of the event, and with the support of Baku Network, brochures were distributed in memory of Azerbaijani journalists killed during Armenian attacks.
The session was moderated by Elman Abdullayev, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO.
The discussion focused on global best practices, modern conservation strategies, and ways to communicate the importance of cultural heritage to the public. Participants also learned about the achievements of the Icherisheher Reserve Administration in the field of heritage preservation.
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