Azerbaijan, OIC seek to enhance cooperation in cultural field

Azerbaijan Culture Ministry is committed to enhancing cultural cooperation with Islamic countries and seeks to use the OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025 as a platform to strengthen dialogue and partnerships, Azernews reports.

The festival is designed to encourage collaboration in heritage, culture, and the creative industries. In line with this vision, numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the event.

Following the official opening ceremony at the Baku Congress Center, Azerbaijan Culture Minister, Adil Karimli, held a bilateral meeting with Tarig Ali Bakheet, OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs and Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General on Afghanistan

Adil Karimli expressed his gratitude to the OIC leadership for supporting the hosting of such a significant event in Azerbaijan. He pointed out that Azerbaijan's relations with the OIC carry strategic importance.

Highlighting the significance of the festival, the Minister noted that the project serves as an important platform to promote cultural cooperation within the Islamic world, strengthen cultural ties, and support creative initiatives.

Tarig Ali Bakheet, in turn, thanked the Azerbaijani side for the successful organization of the festival and the hospitality extended to the delegations. He stressed that Azerbaijan has made valuable contributions to solidarity, cooperation, and cultural exchange within the Islamic world.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.

At the conclusion, a commemorative gift was presented to the guest, and a joint photo was taken.

Azerbaijan is hosting OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025 for the first time. The large-scale event is jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in partnership with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In connection with this prestigious event, more than 300 guests, including official representatives, experts in science, culture, and the creative industries — have arrived in Azerbaijan from nearly 50 countries.

The festival focuses on the development of intercultural dialogue and the promotion of Islamic values—tolerance, peace, and respect for diversity.

The promotion of joint projects in the fields of economy, education, science, and tourism, as well as the establishment of sustainable partnerships between member states and the strengthening of the integration of creative industries into the global economy, are also among the main goals.

OIC Cultural Festival: Baku Creative Week – 2025 features high-level meetings of OIC member states' ministers of culture, the "Cultural and Creative Industries Forum" (MYFORUM), the "Creative Village: Cultural and Creative Industries Exhibition" (MYEXPO), the "Baku Cinema Breeze – 2025" international film program, the "Eastern Fashion Show" – presentations by young and renowned designers from OIC countries, the International Summit on Gaming Technologies (G-HUB), as well as various cultural projects related to theater, music, dance, and animation.