AKTOTY RAIMKULOVA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE TURKIC CULTURE AND HERITAGE FOUNDATION GAVE SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “PROTECTION OF THE ANCIENT HUMAN SETTLEMENTS: THREATS AND MODERN APPROACHES”

On March 14, 2024, an international scientific and practical conference on “Protection of Ancient Human Settlements: Threats and Modern Approaches” was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Welcoming the participants of the international conference, Minister of Culture Mr. Adil Karimli said that the most valuable element of Azerbaijan's rich cultural heritage is the prehistoric human settlements located in our country. Thus, numerous ancient settlements inhabited by primitive people, especially cave camps such as Azikh, Taglar and Damjili, as well as the Gobustan rock paintings, play an important role in studying the stages of development of human civilization: “These monuments, in addition to being considered the cradle of civilization and culture, are of exceptional importance in terms of studying the stages of physical and spiritual development of people, the path of perfection, labor habits and lifestyles, as well as their migration routes.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, President of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation     Mrs. Aktoty Raimkulova noted that ancient settlements are spiritual, historical and cultural sources of the past and their preservation is of great importance. She emphasized that the protection of these monuments requires the application of new methods in the field of archeology and restoration.

In her speech, Mrs. Aktoty Raimkulova noted that such events create important opportunities to discuss the issues of protecting historical monuments, which are an integral part of the world cultural heritage. She also drew attention to their role in transferring the richness of world culture to future generations and provided extensive information about the activities of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation in protecting and promoting the cultural heritage of the Turkic states at the international level.

The event also featured speeches by Professor Mr. Shahin Mustafayev, President of the Turkic Academy, Mr. Sultan Raev, Secretary General of TURKSOY, Ms. Krista Pikkat, Director of Culture and Emergencies at UNESCO, and Mr. Saad S. Khan, President of the OIC Institute of Culture.