May 14, 2009

Mehriban Aliyeva attends annual meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors

The annual meeting of UNESCO goodwill ambassadors took place in Paris, May 14. First Lady of Azerbaijan, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, MP Mehriban Aliyeva participated in the meeting. 

 

Mehriban Aliyeva was warmly welcomed by UNESCO top officials at the Organization`s headquarters.

 

These annual meetings bring together outstanding personalities from the worlds of arts, business, charity and diplomacy. They serve as a means for the goodwill ambassadors to discuss the work they have been doing on behalf of the Organization, to share best practices and to discuss with the Secretariat the priority programs for future advocacy. The meeting provides forum for informing the participants on the programs and projects implemented in Azerbaijan.

 

In his opening address UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura briefed goodwill ambassadors on the projects realized. According to him, 2 new members joined the goodwill ambassadors. They are Director General of ITAR-TASS Agency Vitali Ignatenko and First Lady of Cameroon Shantal Biya. The Director General congratulated the new ambassadors.

 

He mentioned UNESCO pays huge attention to problems in the world in field of education, health, culture and other social spheres, development of cooperation among states and international bodies.

 

The UNESCO Director General said he visited Azerbaijan in March this year where he, together with President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, inaugurated the International Mugham Center and First International Mugham Festival due to support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Matsuura pointed out that Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s efforts are important to develop mugham art. According to Matsuura, mugham was included into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Director General said the meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Abu-Dhabi slated for October will discuss inclusion of ashyg music - another musical art of Azerbaijani people – into the list.

 

Director-General commended all the goodwill ambassadors working to raise awareness of UNESCO’s activities and exhorted the Goodwill Ambassadors to continue to support UNESCO’s efforts “to maintain the global momentum at this crucial juncture”.

 

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the meeting.

 

Mehriban Aliyeva noted the Heydar Aliyev Foundation successfully implemented a number of huge projects in the cultural, educational and social fields. “We marked the 5th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation a few days ago. On this occasion, we published a book featuring the work done by the Foundation over the past five years. The book contains objectives of Heydar Aliyev Foundation and informs of projects performed. Copies of that book have been distributed today to the participants of the meeting”, said Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva.

 

“Works we have done for past 5 years in field of education, health and culture have brought respect to Heydar Aliyev Foundation both in Azerbaijan and international community”, said Mrs Aliyeva, appreciating firm cooperation of Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijani Culture Friends Foundation with an influential international organization such UNESCO.

 

First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva touched upon the International Mugham Festival and opening of the International Mugham Center in Baku this March.

 

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva pointed out the Foundation is willing to provide financial aid to the intangible cultural heritage conservation project in African countries. According to her, the four-month project aims at forming 26 specialists from African states to protect cultural heritage. The aim of the projects is to train highly qualified specialists to protect and bolster cultural heritage of Africa.

 

In conclusion, Mehriban Aliyeva expressed great honor of being the member of the UNESCO family, thanked UNESCO Director General Matsuura for good conditions created here and his personal efforts to promote UNESCO principles and ideas.

 

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Princess of Jordan, Goodwill Ambassador Feryal noted necessity for solution of education problems, elimination of illiteracy in the world.

 

Lithuanian President, Goodwill Ambassador Valdas Adamkus said application of computer techs in schools, Internet may contribute to the good education.

 

First Lady of Cameroon, Goodwill Ambassador Shantal Biya talked of works done in field of education by the Foundation she leads.

 

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Marianna Vardinoyannis talked of works done in field of health, conditions created in her country – Greece for children affected with oncological diseases. She noted First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva met with those children and their parents in frame of state visit of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to Greece early this year. 

 

UNESCO goodwill ambassadors came to a conclusion to realize projects in the fields of education, healthcare and conservation of cultural heritage in the post-conflict and natural disaster zones. They stated they support the idea of overcoming crisis in the fields of healthcare and education in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza strip and some African states, creation of infrastructure in these fields and restoration of existing infrastructure.

 

Upon completion of the meeting, goodwill ambassadors posed for photographs.

 

The UNESCO publications provided information about the activity of Azerbaijan and First Lady of Azerbaijan, Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva. These publications feature rich culture, historical heritage of Azerbaijan and Heydar Aliyev Foundation`s activity.

 

Following the meeting, UNESCO Director General Matsuura hosted a lunch in honor of goodwill ambassadors.

 

During the lunch time, a film on the activity of UNESCO Director General and his visits to Azerbaijan was demonstrated. The film presented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation featured the activity of Matsuura and stressed his services in developing UNESCO.

 

After that, UNESCO Director General thanked Mehriban Aliyeva.

 

Mehriban Aliyeva presented a keepsake to Matsuura.

 

The First Lady of Azerbaijan also gave him a CD collection of the First International Mugham Festival in Baku.