BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. On May 4, the ICESCO headquarters in Morocco hosted the inaugural presentation ceremony of the “ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Excellence Award,” jointly established by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, Trend reports.
The ceremony was held as part of the international conference on “Managing Heritage in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations in the Islamic World.”
Founded in 2025 and named after prominent Azerbaijani poet Khurshidbanu Natavan, the daughter of the Garabagh Khan, the award promotes best practices in preserving and managing tangible cultural heritage. The “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award” highlights Azerbaijan’s commitment to national values and humanism, while also facilitating to promote its literary and cultural legacy. Presented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and ICESCO, the award serves as a tribute to the poet’s legacy and contributes to the preservation and promotion of Garabagh’s rich cultural heritage.
The ceremony was attended by Director-General of ICESCO Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik; Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Center Anar Alakbarov; and Princess Dana Firas of Jordan, President of Petra National Trust and Vice President of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
The biennial “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award” is presented in individual and project categories to initiatives in ICESCO member states focused on preserving tangible heritage.
This year, 54 applications were shortlisted, and the international jury selected the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (Palestine) as the project category winner, in recognition of its leading efforts in safeguarding cultural heritage in the Old City of Hebron/Al-Khalil.
In the “Individual Category,” the winner is Iraqi national Ayoob Thanoon. As the Founder and President of the Mosul Heritage Foundation, he exemplifies “heritage continuity” in one of the most heavily damaged urban heritage environments in the Islamic world. As a young professional, his work focuses on restoring identity and social cohesion in a post-conflict, multiethnic context.
In his remarks at the international conference, Anar Alakbarov, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, highlighted cooperation between Azerbaijan and ICESCO, including joint projects under the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024 in Shusha. He noted that Shusha, regarded as a cultural cradle of Azerbaijan and known for its multiculturalism and tolerance, was named ICESCO’s “Capital of Culture in the Islamic World” for 2024. He also emphasized the significance of establishing the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award” within ICESCO in 2025. He also underlined the key role of President Ilham Aliyev and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, ICESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, in advancing effective cooperation with ICESCO.
Anar Alakbarov emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage in the Islamic world and passing it on to future generations amid ongoing global conflicts. Participants were informed about projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation both in Azerbaijan and abroad. He provided information about restoration efforts in Garabagh and East Zangezur regions, which were liberated from Armenian occupation, including the reconstruction of historical monuments and mosques by the Azerbaijani state and the Foundation. He noted that these initiatives extend beyond the country, with the Foundation actively engaged internationally, including in Africa. In particular, within cooperation with ICESCO, various educational projects have been successfully carried out in Burkina Faso and other countries.
During the event, an Azerbaijani carpet honoring Khurshidbanu Natavan was presented to ICESCO by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
Princess Dana Firas, a jury member of the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award,” stressed its importance amid growing threats to cultural heritage during conflicts. She cited preservation efforts in Aleppo, Mosul, and Timbuktu, and described the award as a timely initiative to promote experience-sharing, awareness, and best practices across the Islamic world.
In his address, Salim bin Mohammed Al Malik emphasized that conflicts across the Islamic world have damaged or destroyed hundreds of cultural heritage sites, with over 27 World Heritage properties currently under serious threat. He highlighted ICESCO’s assessment mission in Garabagh, including Shusha, where more than 120 sites were inspected and a restoration plan was prepared, and noted a similar upcoming mission in Syria. He also stressed ICESCO’s strong cooperation with Azerbaijan and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
Speaking at the conference, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani Al-Hayek thanked the organizers for selecting the Hebron restoration project as a winning initiative and for supporting its implementation.
The first recipients of the “Natavan Heritage Excellence Award” also expressed their gratitude to ICESCO and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the attention given to the submitted projects and for establishing such an international award.
Guests later visited the Sultan Qaboos Library at ICESCO and a photo exhibition dedicated to best practices in restoration projects in conflict zones. The exhibition featured images of restored historical, cultural, and religious monuments in areas previously under nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation, as well as projects implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Garabagh.
On the sidelines of the conference, Anar Alakbarov met with Salim bin Mohammed Al Malik to discuss future joint projects in Azerbaijan and other countries.
