ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE TURNS 40
Baku, 9 December (AZERTAC). December 9 is the day of establishment of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). The Organization uniting about 60 states has been founded in 1969 in Rabat, capital of Morocco, at the conference of heads of the states and governments of the Muslim countries.
Visit of the national leader Heydar Aliyev to Saudi Arabia in July 1994, his various meetings have put the basis of the further development of cooperation with the Organization of Islamic Conference and Azerbaijan. A meeting of President Heydar Aliyev with the Secretary General of the Organization in Baku in November 1994, his participation at the 7th summit of the OIC heads of states and governments, December of the same year in Casablanca, considerably strengthened the positions of Azerbaijan in the Organization. As a result, the Summit participants adopted a political resolution “On the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict”.
Last years relations between Azerbaijan and OIC have entered qualitatively a new stage. High level of communications are proved by President Ilham Aliyev`s participation in the OIC Summit taken place in Mecca, conducting under his initiative in Baku the 33rd session of OIC foreign ministers and 4th conference of the ministers of higher education and science of the Islamic countries.
Especially is noteworthy activity of the First Lady of Azerbaijan, president of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, MP Mehriban Aliyeva in strengthening of relations between Azerbaijan and various structures of OIC.
At the international forum on the theme “Expansion of the role of women in intercultural dialogue”, held in Baku at the initiative of the ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, the Organization`s Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu handed over to the First Lady of Azerbaijan the Diploma on the status of “Special envoy of OIC on humanitarian questions”, for activity in humanitarian sphere.
Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva became the first woman, awarded with such high rank of the Organization which includes the Islamic countries. The decision on announcement of Baku as capital of Islamic culture in 2009 also is the result of cooperation with OIC and tireless activity of the First Lady of Azerbaijan.
Close connections between Azerbaijan and OIC are proved by one more fact. In acceptance of the resolution, “Situation at the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”, March 14, 2008, at the 62nd session of UN General Assembly, the main role has played the position of OIC member states.
Today activity of the Youth Forum of Islamic Conference, its program and projects also draw attention. The purpose of the actions conducted in the frame of campaign “Justice for Khojaly”, declared on May 8, 2008, at the initiative of the chief co-ordinator on intercultural dialogue of the Youth Forum of Islamic Conference, the head of Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s representation in Russia Leyla Aliyeva, consists in informing the world community the truth on the monstrous crime against the humanity, committed by Armenians in Azerbaijani town Khojaly, to achieve political-legal assessment of this crime, to struggle for peace and tranqulity on globe. For exclusive merits in development of activity of the youth, Leyla Aliyeva was given the high award of the Organization.
Today Azerbaijan is strongly connected with the Organization of the Islamic Conference countries not only by national-cultural values, but also joint activity on international, political arena. The special role in this is played by image and position of Azerbaijan in the world of policy.
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