TODAY.AZ / Politics

ICESCO delegation visits liberated Azerbaijani lands

12 January 2021 [15:40] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews


By Vafa Ismayilova

As part of a visit to Azerbaijani territories liberated from the Armenian occupation in the 44-day war between September 27 and November 10, 2020, members of a delegation led by ICESCO Director-General Salim bin Mohammed AlMalik have visited Fuzuli region to witness the consequences of destructions inflicted on the country's historical and cultural heritage by the Armenian armed forces, Azertag reported on January 12.

The ICESCO (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) delegation first inspected the ruins of Fuzuli and saw traces of Armenian vandalism in the city cemetery. Armenians removed marble tombstones and destroyed some graves.

During the inspection of the remains of the destroyed Juma Mosque in the city, it was revealed that Armenians kept cattle and pigs there, as in other mosques. The delegation members said that such insults and destruction of Islamic religious monuments are incompatible with humanity.

The ICESCO delegation inspected the ancient caravansarais and the remains of a 17th-century mosque in the village of Gargabazari, as well as the ruins of a destroyed mosque in the village of Gochahmadli, and witnessed the atrocities committed by the Armenians.

The delegation continues its visit to the liberated lands. 

The ICESCO delegation was accompanied during the visit by Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov, Azerbaijan's permanent representative to ICESCO Ogtay Gurbanov, head of the Culture Ministry administration and Secretary-General of Azerbaijan National Commission for ICESCO Vasif Eyvazzade, and the head of the ministry department for foreign cooperation, Isa Mammadov. The ICESCO director-general's visit to Azerbaijan will last until January 15.

Azerbaijan has been a member of ICESCO since 1991. Established in 1991, these relations have entered into a stage of successful development after the awarding of Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva as Goodwill Ambassador of ICESCO on November  24, 2006. Aliyeva was honoured for her services in the development of education and dialogue between civilizations.

The Islamic World Heritage Committee, at its extraordinary meeting held at the ICESCO headquarters last year, approved the inscription the following heritage sites of  Azerbaijan on the list of the Islamic World Heritage: Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah’s Palace and the Maiden Tower, the Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace and the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape.

As a result of Armenian vandalism, hundreds of cultural institutions, including 927 libraries with 4.6 million books, 808 palaces of culture, clubs and other cultural institutions, 85 music and art schools were destroyed on the occupied Azerbaijani territories. 

Nearly 22 museums and museum branches, four art galleries, four theatres, two concert halls, eight parks of culture and recreation, were subjected to the Armenian vandalism. 

Over 700 historical and cultural monuments registered by the state before the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were looted, including the 11 and 15-span Khudaferin bridges in Jabrayil, Ganjasar and Khudavend sanctuaries in Kalbajar, the mausoleum in Aghdam's Khachin Turbetli village, Azykh cave in Fuzuli as well as Shusha state historical and architectural reserve.

A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10 brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/202413.html

Print version

Views: 209

Connect with us. Get latest news and updates.

Recommend news to friend

  • Your name:
  • Your e-mail:
  • Friend's name:
  • Friend's e-mail: