UNESCO regional conference “Addressing Literacy Challenges in Europe With a Sub-Regional Focus: Building Partnerships and Promoting Innovative Approaches” starts in Baku
The UNESCO Conference “Addressing Literacy Challenges in Europe with Sub-Regional Focus: Building Partnerships and Promoting Innovative Approaches” has started in Baku on May 14 at the Gulustan Palace, within the framework of the series of UNESCO`s Regional Conferences for Support to Literacy in the World.
The conference, which is organized by UNESCO, Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan on the initiative of Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador, MP, is being held in Azerbaijan. The event is attended by Director General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors Princess Firyal of Jordan and former president of Iceland Vigdis Finnbogadottir, as well as education ministers and experts from a number of countries, Azerbaijani government officials, foreign ambassadors in Baku.
An exhibition on the United Nations Literacy Decade was also organized at the Gulustan Palace. The exhibition featured old books including Koran, which was used in schools and religious schools as an educational supply from VIII century to early XX century, ancient books and new educational supplies used in Azerbaijan, encyclopedias, dictionaries and alphabet books of different years, totally 18 various ancient books and 183 educational supplies.
The conference, covering 31 European countries, started with opening remarks of Mr Samad Seyidov, Chairman of the Milli Majlis Standing Commission on International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties, Head of the Azerbaijan Delegation to the PACE.
Chief of the Presidential Administration`s Department for Humanitarian Policy Fatma Abdullahzadeh read out President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev`s congratulatory message.
First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva made her remarks at the opening of the conference.
