Baku, 12 May, AZERTAC

The 5th anniversary of the establishment of the Arabic language service of AZERTAC has today been marked at the Cultural and Educational Relations Center of the Egyptian Embassy.

Participants of the event first familiarized themselves with the library of the center.

Director of the center Ahmad Sami, who is also Egypt's Cultural Attache in Azerbaijan, spoke of the activity of the library.

Mr. Sami said the collection of the library currently included 9,000 books in different languages.

He highlighted the role of the media in expanding bilateral ties between countries and people, and hailed AZERTAC's role on this front.

Ahmad Sami said the center was keen to build closer cooperation with the agency.

Egyptian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Suzanne Mohamed Gamil praised AZERTAC's spreading news in Arabic as a sign of respect for the Arab world.

The Ambassador hailed Azerbaijan`s relations with Azerbaijan and Egypt as "fraternal and friendly", saying AZERTAC makes unique contribution to enhancing cooperation.

Director General of AZERTAC Aslan Aslanov thanked the Egyptian Ambassador and the Director of the center for assistance in organizing the event.

Mr. Aslanov noted that AZERTAC, which celebrated its 96th anniversary, produced news in 7 languages.

The Director General said the Arabic language service was launched in 2010 with the aim of providing Arabic-speaking readers with news on a regular basis.

Mr. Aslanov said: "Arabic is the fourth mostly used language in the world. Statistically, about 200 million internet users are Arabic-speaking people. It proves the role of Arabic language in promoting Azerbaijan's realities and socio-political events taking place in the country on a global scale," the Director General said.

Mr. Aslanov said Arabic language service ranked second for the number of followers after the agency`s Russian and English services. "News in Arabic language are widely shared in social networks."

"Since the first years of our independence, the development of the relations with the Arab world and Arab countries had been among key priorities for national leader Heydar Aliyev. AZERTAC also spares no efforts to contribute to this through information support," Aslan Aslanov noted.

Moroccan Ambassador Hassan Hami and Palestinian Ambassador Nasser Abdul Kareem Raheem hailed the role of AZERTAC in raising the awareness of Arabic-speaking readers about Azerbaijan`s realties.

Chairman of the International Eurasia Press Fund Umud Mirzayev noted AZERTAC's leading position among the country's media organizations.

Then the event participants viewed a photo exhibition reflecting Azerbaijan's relations with the Arab world, as well as the role of national leader Heydar Aliyev in establishment of relations between Azerbaijan and Arab countries.

Jordanian Ambassador Nassar Al-Habashneh, Algerian Chargé d'Affaires Abbes Benmoussat, Libyan Chargé d'Affaires Abdalrzak Shakahi, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps of other Arab countries were present at the event.