June 12, 2006

1stInternational Conference on 'Medicine and Pharmaceutics in Medieval Manuscripts'

1^st International Conference on 'Medicine and Pharmaceutics in Medieval Manuscripts', organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Washington Academy of Sciences, was opened in Baku, June 12.

President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva opened the Conference.

Speech by Mehriban Aliyeva:

Dear guests!

Ladies and gentlemen!

I sincerely greet all participants of International Conference 'Medicine and pharmaceutics in medieval manuscripts'. I am very glad to see you at Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

I am sure familiarization of guests having come to our capital from different countries to attend the conference with Azerbaijan will be unforgettable, the conference will be very fruitful and firmly stimulate our future cooperation.

Heydar Aliyev Foundation set very important duties from the first day of its foundation. Most necessary goals of the Foundation include social problems settlement, help to poorest sections of society, protection of our cultural, historical and spiritual legacy and respect to them.

During 2-year activity the Foundation implemented important projects in field of education, health, science, technology, international cooperation, gained a number of successes. The participants of the conference will be given book on the Foundation's activity. That is why I would like to inform on projects implemented in healthcare only. In frame of project 'Highest care to diabetes-affected children' children aged under 14 suffering this disease were assured with medicaments, as well we try to have attention of society on this problem, render different kinds of help to people. In frame of project 'Highest care to diabetes-affected children' it is scheduled to create modern Thalassenia Diagnostics and Treatment Center in Azerbaijan and construction has already begun.

The Foundation effectively cooperates with international bodies to study and apply the world experience in projects implemented in healthcare.

We consider the dialog of people of different countries, nations, religions the best way in establishing the international cooperation and number of events implemented in this field is growing.

International conference 'Azerbaijan: the past and the present of dialog between civilizations' held this April together with Latin Academy may be noted. Every such kind of event has important scientific results, as well it popularizes our country as it is, reflects reality, innovation, development going on in Azerbaijan.

Dear friends!

UNESCO is much interested in and supports the works done by Heydar Aliyev Foundation towards protection of our national and spiritual heritage, propaganda of our ancient culture and history in the world. We cooperate very effectively for last years with leading international organizations and value this conference as next stage of cooperation between Heydar Aliyev Foundation and UNESCO. 3 unique manuscripts on medicine stored in Azerbaijan were included in International list of UNESCO World Memory Program in July 2005.

I would like to note with pride that World Memory Program includes written monuments that are important not only for nations and countries but for the world in general and this program containing only 120 unique manuscripts includes 3 manuscripts of Azerbaijan.

By the way, nearly 12,000 manuscripts of XII-XIV centuries are kept now at Manuscripts Institute named after Muhammad Fuzuli of Azerbaijan National Sciences Academy. These manuscripts considered national wealth of our people are integral parts of our history and culture.

Such a high value set by UNESCO to our 3 unique manuscripts on medicine shows they are ancient written monuments, that medicine developed much in middle ages in Azerbaijan.

Today we are living the century of technique and high technologies. In general, science and specially medicine gained incredible inventions and victories in XX century. A number of new directions were discovered in medicine and this serves extension of human life.

At the same time, there are many black pages in the history. The science proves that all inventions and innovations are based on collection of realities tested and confirmed for centuries. And this collection is based on ancient manuscripts reached our time through centuries. Each of these manuscripts belongs to separate eras, our general history and culture. That is why we are responsible for their protection and delivery to future generations.

Just from this point of view Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Washington Sciences Academy decided to organize I International Conference 'Medicine and pharmaceutics in medieval manuscripts' in Baku city.

At the end of my speech I once again greet all our guests at Azerbaijan, possessing rich history, and wish success to the conference.

Now, I invite you to watch film 'Living history' made by Heydar Aliyev Foundation.