The seventh annual assembly of the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors in Paris
Traditional annual report meeting of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors was held on April 3 in Paris. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO attended the assembly.
Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the assembly.
Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:
Dear Mr Director General,
Dear goodwill ambassadors,
Ladies and gentlemen!
First, in the annual traditional meeting at UNESCO headquarters I would like to greet all the colleagues, express my gratitude to director general Mr Koichiro Matsuura for organizing this event.
At the same time, I congratulate Mr Koichiro Matsuura on the successful regional conference held in Qatar under the theme 'Establishment of Partnership and Application of New Approaches'. The final regional conference in frame of 'Education for All' Programme will be held in Azerbaijan in 2008. Taking this opportunity, I invite you all to attend that conference. I believe the Baku conference will be additional successful step taken towards realization of the 'Education for All' Programme.
One of remarkable events in last year was realization of first sitting of the General Assembly of countries having ratified the Intangible Cultural Legacy Protection Convention. With pleasure I would like to inform you that Azerbaijan ratified this convention this March. Intangible heritage is one of the most ancient forms of expression of culture and of course, protection and propaganda of intangible heritage is one of the most important duties to us.
Last year was very fruitful for Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Some projects have been completed. The New School to New Azerbaijan Programme is successfully performed. Heydar Aliyev Foundation continued to operate in field of education, science, health, culture and environment protection.
I would like to provide further information on several projects.
Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Washington Sciences Academy and UNESCO organized first international conference titled 'Medicine and Pharmaceutics in Middle Ages Inscriptions'. 3 unique manuscripts on the medicine protected in Azerbaijan were included in the World Memory Registration. That Registration contains 120 manuscripts. These inscriptions are of big importance for the world not only for separate states. Famous scholars from a number of countries attended the Conference and our foundation will continue to support that important programme.
Heydar Aliyev Foundation takes active part in protection of architectural monuments. For the last year we restored a number of historical and religious monuments such as mausoleum of Javad khan, Pir Hasan, Movsum Selim and Hazrati Zeynab mosques.
We also are involved in restoration of cultural monuments of universal importance beyond the country.
As you know, Versailles Palace has been included in the World Heritage List from 1979. Several ancient monuments in the park of the Palace have been damaged by time and climate. Nearly 15 monuments must be restored urgently. To restore 2 monuments in the park our foundation signed a contract on 10 August 2006. Restoration works will be completed on July 15, 2007.
During last year Heydar Aliyev Foundation rendered big support to the unique phenomenon such as Azerbaijani mugham. Taking this opportunity I would like to express my gratitude to UNESCO for rendering support to some mugham projects, inform on successful implementation of them.
Construction of International Mugham Center is continued. Director general Mr Koichiro Matsuura attended the foundation laying ceremony of that center. I hope he will attend the inauguration of Mugham Center in summer 2008.
You are seeing on the slide the design of the Center developed in very contemporary architectural style. But the building itself looks like our national music instruments.
We are continuing to hold mugham evenings. You are seeing now photos from those concerts. We have published the middle ages treatises on mugham. Today, we are showing you the magazine dedicated to mugham. That magazine talks of works done by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in this field due to support of UNESCO.
Finally, I would like to say some words on the project on construction of the girls school in Pakistan. In these photographs you are seeing the consequences of the terrible earthquake and information on people died and wounded. Only schools damaged are thousands. Because of destructions children are obliged to take lessons either outdoor or in tents. But despite these hard conditions they are keen on getting education.
Just because of this reason, Heydar Aliyev Foundation has commenced to the project on construction of the new school in Pakistan. You are seeing the pictures of the school destructed. In short, the new school will meet the high standards and be supplied with all the required appliances. Total area of the school will cover 2000 sq.m. Over 500 pupils will use modern classrooms, 2 labs, library, hall and sport ground. In these photos we see the future view of that school. Construction will last 12 months, and in March 2008 we are scheduling to open the school.
I hope that project will provide opportunity to the children to get required education and become next successful step in execution of the 'Education for All' Programme.
In the conclusion of my speech, I would like to congratulate famous musician, our colleague Mstislav Rostropovich on his 80th jubilee on behalf of all goodwill ambassadors. Mstislav Rostropovich has been awarded the highest prize of Azerbaijan - Order 'Heydar Aliyev'.
Unfortunately, he cannot partake in today's meeting. I wish him good health and long life.
Thanks for attention.
I wish successful and fruitful year to all you.