Baku, March 29, AZERTAC

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by president of the International Union of Architects Thomas Vonier.

The president of the International Union of Architects said they are deeply impressed by the development and beauty of Baku, and thanked and congratulated President Ilham Aliyev for his successful patronage of the architecture of the capital. Thomas Vonier noted that the main goal of the visit is to attend a Bureau meeting of the International Union of Architects in Baku. He noted that the International Union of Architects` choosing Azerbaijan`s capital Baku from among the 134 member states as the host city of the event is indicative of the great importance the organization attaches to Azerbaijan.

Saying that Baku is a very beautiful city, Thomas Vonier underlined that it is the first visit of his colleagues to the city and that they are amazed at what they saw here. Hailing the Baku Boulevard and especially the lighting in the city, he stressed that all these development processes spark great interest in terms of sharing experience.

Underlining that Baku is an ancient city with a great number of historical monuments, the head of state pointed out that all of them are part of the national wealth. President Ilham Aliyev said that Icharishahar, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, has a great architectural value from this point of view, adding that the main purpose was to preserve this historical heritage and to ensure harmony of the modern buildings with the historical part of the city. Noting that this goal has almost been achieved, President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized the importance of providing better living conditions and recreation for the urban population. The head of state noted that great works were done to create public zones in Baku. Touching upon the development of the Baku Boulevard, President Ilham Aliyev said the length of this historical architectural landmark was 3.5km, when it was built 100 years ago. The head of state said the boulevard was extended to reach 16km in length and turned into one of the most favorite places of local residents and guests of the city.

Stressing the importance of the visit of the delegation of the International Union of Architects to Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev described the trip as a good opportunity for the guests to familiarize themselves with Azerbaijan and also a chance to learn the guests` opinion on the development of Baku.

President of the International Union of Architects Thomas Vonier hailed the ongoing development processes in Baku under the direct patronage of the President of Azerbaijan as exemplary. Expressing his hope that architects from member states of the organization will learn a lot during their visit to Baku, Thomas Vonier said that Azerbaijan`s capital is a favorable place from this point of view. Underling that Baku is a good example of harmony of the historical heritage with modernity, he noted that unfortunately the world has little knowledge of such a beautiful city. Thomas Vonier said that the organization of the International Union of Architects` international forum on the impact of tourism on cities with architectural landmarks and cultural heritage in Baku in 2019 will be important from this point of view.