The Moscow secondary school No157 with ethno-cultural Azerbaijani component in curriculum solemnly marked here on Saturday its 10-year anniversary, AZERTAC correspondent reported from the Russian capital city.

The only Azerbaijani school in Moscow allows Azerbaijani children living here to study their mother tongue, as well as national culture, traditions and history.

On the eve of the jubilee, the school’s Principal Aida Guliyeva was awarded by the Order of the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev the honorary title of “Honored Teacher of Azerbaijan”.

Attending the jubilee event the Head of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s Representative Office in Russia Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva congratulated principal Aida Guliyeva and the whole staff of the school on the remarkable date, noting the Foundation welcomes the existence of the ethno-cultural school in Moscow, and will provide it with necessary support. She informed the audience on development of education system in Azerbaijan as one of the priority activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Mrs. Aliyeva said that over the past three years alone, two hundred modern computerized schools have been constructed with the support of the Foundation. She also stressed the need to expand ties among Azerbaijani and Russian schools, develop and implement joint educational projects.

Leyla Aliyeva granted books and DVDs presented by the Foundation at the International Exhibition “Biblioobraz-2007” to the school.

All other speakers including Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Polad Bulbul oglu, Deputy Prefect of the Moscow Northern District Alexander Ashmarin, Deputy Chief of the Moscow Department of Education Yuriy Goryachev, Deputy Chief of the District Department of Education Larisa Portyanskaya, Head of the Baku Department of Education Nailya Guliyeva and representatives of the Azerbaijani Diaspora, noted that this school is rightly believed to be one of the best in Moscow, and the best ethno-cultural school, which brings together students of 19 nationalities.

Ambassador Polad Bulbul oglu, in particular, said this school is not only playing an important role in preservation of humanitarian relations between the two countries but is also functioning as a cultural center.

He thanked the First Lady of Azerbaijan, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva for her great contributions to popularization of the Azerbaijani culture and development of education system in the country.

The ceremony was accompanied by a concert program prepared by the school’s students.