The Azerbaijan State News Agency

Azerbaijan is very quickly developing, says UNESCO chief

Baku, June 1 (AZERTAC). UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova has hailed Azerbaijan`s development.

“I was here three years ago, I think Azerbaijan is very quickly developing,” Mrs. Bokova told AZERTAC`s correspondent in an exclusive interview.

“I saw construction all over the city (Baku). What is very interesting for me is that I saw that construction of the Museum of Carpet has already finished. Three years ago I witnessed the beginning of the construction work”.

The UNESCO Director General praised what had been done to safeguard old architectural buildings in Azerbaijan.

“I also saw a lot of efforts to protect old buildings, old architecture,” she said.

Mrs. Bokova also stressed the importance of the 2nd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku.

“Off course what is most important is the forum that I attended in Baku. It is the second edition of the Intercultural Forum. For UNESCO this is an important objective, I would say, an important area of our work.”

The UNESCO chief emphasized the importance of the dialogue among religions, cultures and ethnic groups, adding that from this point of view “Azerbaijan is a very proper place to organize such events, because it is located on the crossroads of East and West”.

“We know the history of the Silk Road and at the same time Azerbaijan nowadays is an active member of UNESCO. We will have here a meeting of the Committee on Intellectual Heritage in December. Azerbaijan will soon organize another preparatory meeting for a big conference of sports ministers. In Azerbaijan we had last year a meeting of the diabetes committee. So many events and important meetings happen here.”

She also emphasized the significance of the Baku International Humanitarian Forum.

“As an active member of UNESCO, an active member of the international community, a current member of the UN Security Council, I think all this creates a good basis for having this conference in Azerbaijan,” Mrs. Bokova added.

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

5 wounded in shooting at Virginia State University

Expert: Computational social science can serve as a scientific bridge between Azerbaijan and Sweden INTERVIEW

Top stories update

Ilham Zakiyev crowned European Champion for the 10th time

Azerbaijan`s Khankendi and Romania`s Baia Mare forge sister-city ties

Shooting of Molla Nasreddin feature film enters its final stage in Kazakhstan

Space storms could put airline passengers at radiation risk, scientists warn

Magnitude 4.9 quake hits Azerbaijan’s Guba district

Gobustan Reserve attracts nearly 40,000 tourists over last three months

Top stories update

Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage showcased at international folklore festival in France

At least 14 dead after 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia

Another shipment from Russia dispatched to Armenia via Azerbaijan

August 15 marks International Homeless Animals Day

Plane en route from Beijing to Manchester makes emergency landing in Krasnoyarsk

Azerbaijani Para-judoka wins European bronze

Drought may have driven Brazil’s first yellow fever outbreak in nearly 80 years

6 killed in coal mine explosion in central Colombia

Azerbaijan, Georgia explore defense cooperation

France's top court blocks social media ban for under-15s

Top stories update

Azerbaijan ranks first as Türkiye’s top gas supplier for June

Baku hosts international badminton tournament

Azerbaijan, CITIC Group discuss AI computing platform project in Baku

German auto industry employment falls to lowest level since 2005

Washington hosts event on “Cholpon-Ata Summit and Next Steps for Trans-Caspian Cooperation”

Azerbaijani Ambassador presents his credentials to Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister

Spain removes remains of 11th century kings from monastery as wildfire rages

Work underway to restore electricity after technical failure in Kazakhstan’s power grid

Baku hosts presentation of Chinese documentary “Heritage Keeper”

Fred parts ways with Fenerbahçe as Mineiro homecoming beckons

Azerbaijan, Georgia discuss strategic partnership

® Trendyol named CEV EuroVolley 2026 Women title sponsor

Wildfire forces evacuation of more than 2,000 people in western Germany

22 more families resettled in Khankendi receive keys to new homes

Arsenal hold talks over Osimhen deal

European Cup winner Rimmer dies aged 78

Wildfire in southwestern France spreads across 2,700 acres, prompts 500 evacuations

Prosecutor General’s Office: 73 killed, 363 injured in mine explosions since Patriotic War

Apple trains its own AI model for China market with Alibaba's support, sources say

Azerbaijan, China expand cooperation in combating crime

Chinese scientists develop new approach for diabetes treatment

Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition holds third planning meeting in Jeddah with 39 countries

SOCAR’s revenues amounted to AZN 86.3 billion in 2025

Azerbaijani scientists to join international scientific conference in Issyk-Kul region

Baku hosts event marking Pakistan’s National Day

President Ilham Aliyev’s Nakhchivan visit remains in global media spotlight

Top stories update

® Organized by PASHA Holding, the INMerge Innovation Summit returns to Baku in 2026

Presidential Library creates virtual collection on Bakhtiyar Vahabzadeh's work

Trump imposes tariffs of up to 100% on imported drones, components

Pakistan is striving to ensure peace in the region, ambassador says

Azerbaijani oil sells for $93.97

Gold and silver prices decline in global markets

Oil prices rise in global markets

Azerbaijan, Romania discuss cooperation

Azerbaijan relocates 22 more families to Khankendi city

Fire and explosion at munitions plant at Colleferro, South of Rome

Passenger train derails in UK’s East Sussex

EU electricity production sees record low coal share

® Veyseloglu sets new benchmark in Azerbaijan’s FMCG sector with its first UN Global Compact Progress Report

Landmine blast injures one in Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar district

Top stories update

Azerbaijan’s next frontier - building a regional hub for space, AI, and innovation - INTERVIEW

Young members of Azerbaijani diaspora join 31st AFS Youth Assembly

UK defends seizing shadow fleet tanker after Putin threat

Baku to host world’s top beach wrestlers

Peruvian publication highlights bilateral relations with Azerbaijan

General Manager highlights Türkiye’s petrochemical potential

President Ilham Aliyev’s remarks during interview in Nakhchivan in world media spotlight

Burgas to host Eurovision Song Contest in 2027

Nakhchivan attracts AZN 156.7 million in fixed capital investments

Nakhchivan’s foreign trade turnover rises by 31.1%

Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan Defense Ministries exchange experience in military information

Theatrical premieres and iconic productions by renowned directors to be showcased as part of Baku International Arts Festival

Poorest areas should not house all asylum seekers, says Burnham

Nizami Ganjavi’s bust in Marneuli restored

Türkiye-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact aims to boost joint military capabilities: Defense Ministry

Istanbul to host 2027 Spanish Super Cup featuring Barca, Madrid

Another shipment from Russia dispatched to Armenia via Azerbaijan

GDP in Nakhchivan rises by 3.1 percent

South Korea's Incheon airport becomes world's busiest for global traffic

Azerbaijan’s Basel III reforms to strengthen loss absorption buffers

German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd takes $600M hit from Middle East conflict

Doku signs new contract extension

Farthest 'black hole star' ever found could help solve James Webb Space Telescope's little red dot mystery

Azerbaijan's experience highlighted at online meeting of WEF’s Centres for Fourth Industrial Revolution Network

Migration routes grow dangerous even as irregular arrivals fall in 2026, new IOM data show

Azerbaijan, China discuss joint projects in aluminum and metallurgical industries

President Ilham Aliyev received credentials of newly appointed Ambassador of Germany to Azerbaijan VIDEO

The Juma Mosque in Guba: A masterpiece of ancient architecture VIDEO

The Juma Mosque in Guba: A masterpiece of ancient architecture VIDEO

Baku Initiative Group brings together members of Global South Youth Platform

Goygol – Ordubad’s hidden gem, where four seasons unfold at once VIDEO

Goygol – Ordubad’s hidden gem, where four seasons unfold at once VIDEO

Meta says it has taken down 756,000 Australian teen accounts as ban enforcement looms

Top stories update

OPEC crude production jumps 1.7M bpd in July

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, and Bulgaria negotiate creation of new energy corridor

Youth advocates gather in New York to launch new AI standards

PSG edge out Aston Villa 2-1 to win back-to-back UEFA Super Cups

Oil prices decline in global markets