The 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum has come to an end.

The forum served as an excellent platform for promoting cultural dialogue and strengthening cultural ties between the countries, Azernews reports.

Delegations from 73 countries, as well as culture ministers from 30 countries, participated in the forum to exchange ideas on important topics.

At the forum, the Azerbaijani delegation showcased the country's vibrant culture and boosted international partnership in the cultural field.

Within the forum, Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli met with his Russian counterpart Olga Lyubimova.

The culture ministers discussed the current state and prospects for the development of cultural ties between the two countries.

The Russian minister proposed to prepare a plan for joint cultural events for 2024 and, next year, sign a program of events for 2024-2026.

The Azerbaijani minister invited his Russian counterpart to the Creative Industry Forum as well as to the 6th World Forum of Intercultural Dialogue to be held in Baku.

Adil Karimov also addressed the plenary session themed "Cultural sovereignty as the basis of state identity" as part of the forum.

The minister drew attention to the history of Azerbaijani culture and noted that representatives of various peoples and cultures have lived in the country for centuries in conditions of peace and tolerance.

He underlined that, based on the traditions of state building of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, a conceptual foundation of modern cultural policy has been created in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. State programs, investment projects, and support measures in the field of cultural heritage preservation are currently implemented in the country.

In his speech, Adil Karimov emphasised that, headed by the First Vice President of Azerbaijan, Mehriban Aliyeva, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation plays an exceptional role in the implementation of national and international projects to preserve and promote Azerbaijani cultural wealth.

Meanwhile, the acting director of the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre, Honoured Cultural Worker Ilham Asgarov, took part in the panel discussion on theatrical art.

Heads of Russian, Belarusian, and Serbian theatres took part in the panel session. Furthermore, Ilham Asgarov met with the directors of the Alexandrinsky Theatre and the Belarusian Academic National Theatre to discuss prospects for cooperation.

The forum in St. Petersburg provided a great opportunity for countries to demonstrate their unique artistic expressions, fostering a deep understanding and appreciation of their cultures at the international level.